Progressives & Nazis

I have grown weary of attempts by one ideology to compare the other ideology to Nazis, Hitler, Stalin, etc.  It is not because I think comparing current trends and characteristics to the past is not useful. Quite the contrary, it is of most importance.  However, in today’s political climate these comparisons have become lazy, routine, and lacking some critical analysis or substance. With that being said, I am going to do that very thing, but hopefully, I think, in a more productive way.  I believe that Progressive ideology shares a very crucial characteristic to the Nazis and Hitler. Not in substance, but in method, and in its nature. 

When I was in college, a history professor explained a theory about Hitler and the Nazis and their attempt to take over the European continent.  The professor was attempting to explain why the Germans couldn’t stop after the Anschluss with Austria, the grab of the Sudetenland, and eventually taking the rest of Czechoslovakia.  More importantly, why the Germans betrayed Stalin after signing the Non-Aggression Pact and invaded Russian. His explanation was quite simple. Militarist nations such as Nazi Germany  cannot simply be idle and at peace. Rather their existence, purpose, and nature is to be continually on the march and in the throes of war. The same could be said for militarist Japan and their choice to attack Pearl Harbor. The victory in one battle or defeat of one foe, must be followed up by another.  If this vast military machine appetite is not fed, then its purpose, significance, and ability to sustain itself will be severely weakened and ultimately be defeated

Progressives share this same characteristic.  They are constantly on the march. The very essence of 21st century progressivism is their belief in fighting oppression and injustice.  But what happens when these oppression cease and the injustices are corrected? What is a progressive to do? Just like Hitler needed to find  new places to invade, Progressives need to find new oppressions and injustices to fight, and they do this in two distinct ways. The first is to continually redefine what constitutes oppression and injustice.  Microaggressions, white privilege, white supremacy, and cultural appropriation all come to mind as an example of this tactic. Second, they engage in deliberately bad analysis of data to try and prove that an injustice exists.  A prime example is the oft recited, but laughable statistic of women making .76 cents for every dollar a man makes, doing the same job. Or better, the dire and often apocalyptic predictions about climate change. These two methods allow Progressives to be on the march, both figuratively and literally and provide them plenty of battlefields in the cultural war.

Also like the Nationalist Socialist of Germany in the 1930’s, Progressives also have deluded themselves into believing that they are morally and intellectually superior.  It is hard not to think of yourself this way when you claim that you are fighting against oppression and injustice. Who would fight for oppression or injustice?  And, because of their belief in their moral and intellectual superiority, Progressives believe they have an obligation to help bend the moral arc of history towards justice.  Their duty requires them to engage in total war and allowing the ends to justify the means. The end result is an ideology that is often void of principle, especially in terms of tactics, and a relentless pursuit to win the argument.  There is no reason to worry about principles when one thinks they are on the morally pure path.

The reality is that Progressives will never cease in their self-delusional war.  Blinded by unmerited arrogance, they think they are saving the planet, protecting the weak, or liberating the enslaved.  In actuality, they are on a constantly eroding individual liberty and creating a more polarizing society. Eventually, however, I think there will be a time when their endless pursuit of oppression and injustice will lead to cannibalizing effect and start attacking their own.  You can see some of this happening with the LBGT community as the LBG and the T are in conflict. Unfortunately, this is not happening at the pace I would hope, but I long for the day when progressives realize they have become their own worst enemy.