Mein Kampf, Chapter XII: The Trade-Union Question

[JimmyJazz]

Pretty interesting:

http://www.hitler.org/writings/Mein_Kampf/mkv2ch12.html

Does anyone know how this compares to the TR's actual policy toward trade unions while in power? For instance, did they ever establish a Central Economic Parliament (by that or any other name) to arbitrate labor disputes, and make strikes illegal?

[The Feral Underclass]

All trade unions were outlawed and the Deutsche Arbeitsfront (German Workers Front) was created. It was supposed to exist in order to mediate between workers and employers, but the reality was to create a system of control. Things like wages were set by the DAF but these always benefited the employer. Robert Ley was the leader of the DAF and was indicted for various war cimes and crimes against humanity including slavery, genocide, murder and racial persecution. He committed suicide before he could stand trial.

The regime also outlawed workers bargaining capabilities and rights along with striking. They also effectively outlawed unempolyment: You were not allowed to quit your job unless you had proof that you had another one and they also introduced the Reichsarbeitsdienst (National Labour Service), which gave jobs to the unemployed. It was mandatory for unemployed people to work for RAD.

[The Feral Underclass]

DAF also created the Strength Through Joy programme that was to bring benefits to the German people. They built cruise ships (two of them) to be used by workers, built sports facilities, gave people free radios and sent people on free holidays. They also subsidised the creation of the Volkswagon, which is obviously still a very popular car today. Of course, all of these things were paid for by the mandatory deductions made on workers wages and the stolen funds from the trade unions that had been outlawed.

[Tower of Bebel]

They also subsidised the creation of the Volkswagon, which is obviously still a very popular car today. Of course, all of these things were paid for by the mandatory deductions made on workers wages and the stolen funds from the trade unions that had been outlawed.
Actually living standards rose. The Volkswagen and other gifts were paid by the conquest of "Lebensraum" (Czechoslovakia, Poland, Russia, etc.). (Before the war) not the ("arian") Germans but the neighbouring peoples had to pay for Hitler's national "socialism". The whole project became one of "butter for canons". In the end only war could solve the problem of keeping Germany safe from the economic and financial crisis. Not economic isolation nor corporatism (the principle of national socialist "trade unions") could end the crisis.
In occupied countries trade unions were also outlawed. Typical bourgeois historians tend to say trade unions and their achievements (36-hour workweek for Belgian workers was achieved in 1936) were not abolished or outlawed but replaced by alternatives. In my case this would be the "Union of intellectual and manual laborors", and the 48-hour workweek.

[The Feral Underclass]

Actually living standards rose.

I'm confident they did.


The Volkswagen and other gifts were paid by the conquest of "Lebensraum" (Czechoslovakia, Poland, Russia, etc.). (Before the war) not the ("arian") Germans but the neighbouring peoples had to pay for Hitler's national "socialism".

I'm sure that was also apart of it.


In occupied countries trade unions were also outlawed.

From my understanding it was only in the Netherlands than trade union activity was organised in opposition to the Nazi's and in soliarity with persecuted Jews.

[Panda Tse Tung]

From my understanding it was only in the Netherlands than trade union activity was organised in opposition to the Nazi's and in soliarity with persecuted Jews.It was a general strike, nothing with trade-unions. Just that.
The Communist Party organized it (though it was non-ideological), nothing trade-unionist about it.

[Counterreactionary]

Considering the actually pretty corporate-oriented politics of the nazi regime, it's horrendus that so many right-wing fuckheads these days still refer to the regime as "socialist".

[Tower of Bebel]

Considering the actually pretty corporate-oriented politics of the nazi regime, it's horrendus that so many right-wing fuckheads these days still refer to the regime as "socialist".
According to the Oxford English dictionary socialism "is a political theory that [says] a country's transport, resources and industries should be owned or controlled by the state". For some people totalitarian regimes like the nazi regime come mighty close to this definition.

[JimmyJazz]

According to the Oxford English dictionary socialism "is a political theory that [says] a country's transport, resources and industries should be owned or controlled by the state". For some people totalitarian regimes like the nazi regime come mighty close to this definition.

Yeah, but the more accurate definition on dictionary.com says,


a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.

Given the NS theory of the "State" as something above the people, you certainly cannot equate state ownership in Nazi Germany with community ownership. Also, even if you do it wouldn't be the "community as a whole", because certain groups were excluded. (Well, I guess you could define it as "the Aryan community").

I don't think the argument that Germany was socialist holds any water whatsoever. Private pofit was still made, wage labor was still employed, in the process of production.

[The Feral Underclass]

It was a general strike, nothing with trade-unions. Just that.
The Communist Party organized it (though it was non-ideological), nothing trade-unionist about it.

Are you trying to make the claim that a general strike had nothing to do with trade unions?

[jaffe]

Are you trying to make the claim that a general strike had nothing to do with trade unions?

There were no trade unions anymore. It was basicly a wild strike called out by all communist partys and anarchists.

[Woland]

Well these sort of ''wild strikes'' is what the Nazis feared. A general strike during the Kapp-Putsch of 1920, which was made by right-wing monarchists, saved the Weimar Republic from collapse. These strikes represented the power of the working class, something which could become a hindrance to the Nazis, so they simply eliminated the obvious leadership to stop anything like this from happening again.

[jaffe]

yeah they did, but in 1943 there was another big wildstrike because ex dutch soldiers were forced to work in Germany. The first strike also known as the Februari staking (february strike) is remembered every year in Amsterdam.
http://www.februaristaking.nl/english.html

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

Didn't the Danes oppose collectively Hitler's policy toward the Jews?

http://auschwitz.dk/Denmark.htm