Die Welle

[Cohacq]

I watched this movie a while ago, and it struck me "Can this really happen in todays society?". After som thinking i came to the point where i think it's possible to change those whose minds are still developing their own political stance, after seeing my own movement from being a reformist social democrat, to revolutionary socialist, then communist and now collectivist anarchist.

So, do you guys think this is a plausible scenario, or just movie bogus?

[Rjevan]

I'm not 100% sure but as far as I know this did really happen! I think the author of "Die Welle" made this experiment as described with his pupils and it worked like presented in the film/book. But nevertheless, very impressing and staggering.

Edit: Yep, it really happened. From Wikipedia (The Wave): It is a novelization of a teleplay by Johnny Dawkins for the movie The Wave (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wave_(TV_special)), a fictionalized account of the "Third Wave (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Third_Wave)" teaching experiment by Ron Jones (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Jones_(teacher)) that took place in a Cubberley High School (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cubberley_High_School) history class in Palo Alto, California (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palo_Alto,_California)

[SEKT]

As the movie described if the conditions are created it can be possible

[cyu]

I would say no, not unless you had active backing from the mass media - and that only happens when the people who control the mass media consider something else to be a bigger threat to them than fascism (even if they are proven wrong later).

Gerald MacGuire from the Connecticut American Legion once said this during FDR's presidency:

"We need a fascist government in this country... to save the nation from the communists who want to tear it down and wreck all that we have built in America... You know the American people will swallow that. We have got the newspapers. We will start a campaign that the President's health is failing. Everyone can tell that by looking at him."

[LOLseph Stalin]

I actually started out the same way you did, Cohacq, as a Social Democrat. I then became more revolutionary over time, realizing that reformism wouldn't do much for those living in poverty.

[Invader Zim]

I voted 'it couldn't happen' by accident. However it certainly could happen, and did, the film is loosely based on events that occured in the USA. It is also a great film.

EDIT: I note Rjevan has also pointed this out.