Change Quote by Jonah Goldberg
““Hitler deserves to be placed firmly on the left because first first and foremost he was a revolutionary. Broadly speaking, the left is the party of change, the right the party of the status quo. On this score, Hitler was in no sense, way, shape, or form a man of the right. There are few things he believed more totally than that he was a revolutionary. And his followers agreed. Yet for more than a generation to call Hitler a revolutionary has been a form of heresy, particularly for Marxist and German historians, since for the left revolution is always good-- the inevitable forward motion of the Hegelian wheel of history. Even if their bloody tactics are (sometimes) to be lamented, revolutionaries move history forward. (For conservatives, in contrast, revolutions are almost always bad--unless, as in the case of the United States, you are trying to conserve the victories and legacy of a previous revolution).””
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Left and the Right", 2015
Argues Hitler can be seen as a revolutionary, aligning him with leftist change rather than rightist status quo.
In simple terms: Hitler was a revolutionary, not a traditional right‑wing figure.
Key Takeaway
Recognize that political labels can be fluid.
Themes
political theory
history
ideology
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
historical
political
When to use this quote
- academic debates
- political analysis
- educational curricula
- media commentary
Key Concepts
revolution
left‑right spectrum
historical interpretation
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we responsibly classify extremist figures?
- Can revolutionary intent justify harmful outcomes?
A Different Perspective
Labeling Hitler as leftist can obscure moral responsibility of his actions.
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