A Primer on Inter-War Foreign Policy
From the blog Foreign Policy Watch, this blog outlines the history of inter-war foreign policy and counters claims made by Matthew Yglesias that it was only the Great Depression that led to the rise of fascism and Nazism in Europe.
Clearly, the Great Depression played a role in the rise of Hitler. However, the author at Foreign Policy Watch argues persuasively that the status quo that was being defended during the years between 1918 and 1939 were inherently destabilizing and did not reflect the distribution of power in the international system. That Hitler and Imperial Japan wanted to overthrow the status quo could be expected and would at some point in time have likely ocurred in some form even without the Depression greasing the skids for radicalism.
I think simple answers are hard to come by when examining this period of history. There are a myriad of factors that influenced events and only in retrospect do they seem obvious. I think pure luck played a role as well. Hitler was a unique individual who was probably more successful (even if in a demonic way) than any other leader at that time would have been irrespective of the Depression and an unsustainable international status quo.
At any rate, it is always a useful excersize to look back and consider what happened from several vantage points. We'll never stand at an archimedean point where we can be completely objective, so multiple vantage points offers us the next best (if flawed) option.
Clearly, the Great Depression played a role in the rise of Hitler. However, the author at Foreign Policy Watch argues persuasively that the status quo that was being defended during the years between 1918 and 1939 were inherently destabilizing and did not reflect the distribution of power in the international system. That Hitler and Imperial Japan wanted to overthrow the status quo could be expected and would at some point in time have likely ocurred in some form even without the Depression greasing the skids for radicalism.
I think simple answers are hard to come by when examining this period of history. There are a myriad of factors that influenced events and only in retrospect do they seem obvious. I think pure luck played a role as well. Hitler was a unique individual who was probably more successful (even if in a demonic way) than any other leader at that time would have been irrespective of the Depression and an unsustainable international status quo.
At any rate, it is always a useful excersize to look back and consider what happened from several vantage points. We'll never stand at an archimedean point where we can be completely objective, so multiple vantage points offers us the next best (if flawed) option.
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