Episode 157: What is Fascism?

Episode 157: What is Fascism?

Author: Reflecting History April 28, 2025 Duration: 47:14

This podcast provides an overview of fascism as both an ideology and a political tactic. In what ways was Nazi Germany a typical fascist state? This episode is one small part of my larger podcast series called "Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart." 

How does something like the rise of Nazi Germany happen? Why? Who's responsible? What is fascism? What did it mean to be a Nazi? What role did the average person have in the development of the Nazi state? How responsible is the ordinary person in the development of great evil? How did nazism infect schools, institutions, and bureaucracy? Just how racist was the average person in Germany at the time? Why did the Holocaust happen? Who were the killers and why did they do it? Did anyone stand up to all of this evil?

This series is an attempt to answer all of these questions in the specific context of Nazi Germany, and to show that as William Faulkner once said, "the only thing worth writing about is the human heart in conflict with itself." It's based on an audio course I made several years ago called "Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart," with some brand new added content, remastered audio, and a new introduction and conclusion. Thanks for listening. 

Check out "Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart" at https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory.

-Consider Supporting the Podcast!-

Leave a rating or review on apple podcasts or spotify!

Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory

Check out my podcast series on Aftersun, Piranesi, Arcane, The Dark Knight Trilogy, and Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart here: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory

Try my podcast series "Piranesi: Exploring the Infinite Halls of a Literary Masterpiece"-- This podcast series is a deep analysis of Susanna Clark's literary masterpiece "Piranesi." Whether you are someone who is reading the novel for academic purposes, or you simply want to enjoy an incredible story for it's own sake, this podcast series goes chapter by chapter into the plot, characters, and themes of the book..."The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; it's kindness infinite." Piranesi lives in an infinite house, with no long-term memory and only a loose sense of identity. As the secrets of the House deepen and the mystery of his life becomes more sinister, Piranesi must discover who he is and how this brings him closer to the "Great and Secret Knowledge" that the House contains. Touching on themes of memory, identity, mental health, knowledge, reason, experience, meaning, reflection, ideals, and more…Piranesi will be remembered as one of the great books of the 21st century. Hope you enjoy the series as much as I enjoyed making it. Check it out at https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory.

Subscribe to my newsletter! A free, low stress, monthly-quarterly email offering historical perspective on modern day issues, behind the scenes content on my latest podcast episodes, and historical lessons/takeaways from the world of history, psychology, and philosophy: https://www.reflectinghistory.com/newsletter.

 


Podcast Episodes
Episode 143: The Unseen Leader with Martin Gutmann [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:01
Leadership is one of the most interesting avenues of historical study, but also one of the most misunderstood. In this episode I'm joined by historian Martin Gutmann to talk about some of the myths and larger lessons abo…
Episode 142: The Road Part III [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:52
Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" depicts a horrific wasteland that is the worst possible example of an existential threat coming to life. But like in his other novels, there are also moments where you wonder if the evil depi…
Episode 141: The Road Part II [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:52
Philosophers and Psychologists have often imagined a "blank slate" to put different theories of human nature to the test. What would humanity be if you stripped away all the culture, all the pressures, all the social int…
Episode 140: The Road Part I [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:42
"You forget what you want to remember and you remember what you want to forget." Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" imagines a post-apocalyptic world that puts other dystopian atmospheres to shame with its bleak hopelessness.…
Episode 139: Vagabond Princess with Ruby Lal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:20
In this episode I'm joined by historian Ruby Lal. Ruby is Professor of South Asian history at Emory University and the author of several books, including her latest: "Vagabond Princess: The Great Adventures of Gulbadan."…
Episode 138: The Metamorphosis Part III [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:02
Traveling salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to find out he's been transformed into some sort of hideous bug. The story that follows in Franz Kafka's masterpiece "The Metamorphosis" offers insight into human natu…
Episode 137: The Metamorphosis Part II [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:32
Traveling salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to find out he's been transformed into some sort of hideous bug. The story that follows in Franz Kafka's masterpiece "The Metamorphosis" offers insight into human natu…
Episode 136: The Metamorphosis Part I [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:07
Traveling salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to find out he's been transformed into some sort of hideous bug. The story that follows in Franz Kafka's masterpiece "The Metamorphosis" offers insight into human natu…
Episode 135: Fire and Blood [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:28
While not being the book many fans wanted (and still haven't gotten…), George R.R. Martin's 2018 "Fire and Blood", a fictional history prequel to "A Game of Thrones" is worthy of historical examination in its own right.…
BONUS: The Library of Babel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:48
Hello everyone, here is a bonus episode from my Patreon feed. Hope you enjoy it. It's been an amazing run for a long time now, so thank you for all the support and appreciation over the years. It means a lot. Hope you ha…