[Marxism] Gluckstein, Abraham, the Nazis and big business

[" Ian Pace" <ian@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

SWP (British) stalwart Donny Gluckstein's book 'Nazis, Capitalism and the
Working Class' (1999), from what I've heard, presents a theory similar to
that advanced by David Abraham in his earlier book 'The Collapse of the
Weimar Republic' (1981), namely that big business in essence placed the
Nazis in power. Abraham's thesis was comprehensively discredited, it seems,
by a range of historians (see Richard J. Evans - 'In Defence of History',
pp116-123 - Evans has some credibility not least because of his pivotal role
in utterly discrediting the neo-fascist historian David Irving in the highly
publicised trial, on highly rationalist grounds). Can anyone tell me what
makes Gluckstein's work more credible than Abraham? Or is this just yet
another example of simplistic Anglo-Saxon didactic left economic
determinism, as a convenient alternative to engagment with issues of culture
and consciousness (which I believe cannot in any sense be ignored; for the
fact of the frightening populist appeal of fascism was fundamental to its
potency and initial appeal amongst many people, working class or otherwise)?
There are bigger issues that are related here to do with the rise of
neo-fascism today, and the means of combating it. I'm interested in anyone's
thoughts or observations.

Solidarity against fascism,
Ian



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