National Bolshevism is a radical political movement whose philosophy is based on the consensus of extreme left and extreme right views.
Until now, a single definition and concept of this political thought has not been developed. Different ideologists looked at the movement in their own way and had their own ideas. National Bolshevism was extremely popular in Germany during the interwar period and in Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Origin
Throughout the history of its existence, the National Bolsheviks (National Bolsheviks) were unable to create an influential political movement. Therefore, it is rather difficult to trace the history of this political paradigm.
It is believed that for the first time such views were voiced in 1919. At that time, Europe was seized by a serious political crisis. Political ideas, once considered utopian, were realized through coups and revolutions. Two new trends were extremely popular at that time: communism and "neo-nationalism." Both camps were opposed to each other. However, some thinkers found similar features in these seemingly opposites.
Revolutionary movement
In many ways, National Bolshevism owes its appearance to the victory of the revolution in Russia. Communists who came to power stood on the positions of internationalism. However, some figures believed that it was possible to build a socialist society and further communism, based on the ethnic traditions of the peoples. Such views were very popular in Germany.
Torn by civil unrest, the country that had just lost the war was slipping into the abyss of crisis. The Weimar Republic was in total international isolation. The press and officials of the European powers used such terms with respect to the Germans as "the most despised nation in Europe" and so on.
This contributed to the growth of nationalism and a strong concept of unity among the Germans themselves. In addition, another country — Soviet Russia — also remained in international isolation. The Communists categorically did not accept humiliation on a national basis and achieved significant success in the reforms of the social life of the population. Berlin professor Paul Elzbacher is developing the concept of an alliance between a new Germany and Soviet Russia.
Union concept
First of all, the concept of the unification of Russia and Germany, which National Bolshevism considered it, had a geopolitical background. Two countries occupied the most important places in the political life of Europe and the entire continent. The United States then did not have such an influence on the Old World as it had after World War II. Therefore, the idea was expressed that the union of Germany and Russia would control the whole world.
The National Bolsheviks proposed creating a new political platform on the basis of the Bolshevik revolution, but with the preservation of national traditions and the use of ethnic identity as the engine of the revolution.
Anti-capitalism
The ideology of National Bolshevism is based on a radical rejection of capitalism. All theorists recognized the existence of class war. In this area, the paradigm almost completely copies the views expressed by the Communists. According to the theory, it is believed that the whole world is divided into oppressors and oppressed. But if the left considers the capitalist system only as a method of economic exploitation, then the National Bolsheviks consider the problem from the "right" side as well. They believe that the capitalist way of life not only excludes equal rights to goods produced, but also leads to the degradation of the masses.
The immorality of capitalism was actively used by the National Bolsheviks in their agitation, as well as by the Communists.
German look
Friedrich Lenz creates the organization Der Workampfer. National Bolshevism acquires the first political party. Many researchers tend to classify the Strasser brothers as National Bolsheviks. Hitler’s opponents inside the National Socialist Party rejected the pathological racism of their Fuhrer and believed that the main efforts should go to fight the class enemy. The National Bolsheviks advocated the complete nationalization of all private ownership of the means of production. At the same time, it was proposed to introduce tough state administration of all sectors of the economy. In this regard, the National Bolsheviks were inspired by the successes of Stalin's forced industrialization.
The economy was presented as planned with a clear distribution of labor. Hans Ebeling wrote several significant works on collective farm planning. The planned approach was extremely popular among the leftists of Western Europe. Industrial aesthetics was one of the identifying features of the new nationalism and communism.
National identity
The basic principle of National Bolshevism implied the national traditions of various peoples as an engine of revolution. National policy was presented as quite conservative and traditionalist. Many theorists believed that only the unity of the people on the basis of ethnic identity would help build a new society. Relation to religion was different. The National Bolsheviks of the first and especially the second wave were not religious.
They believed that religion was only a manifestation of national identity, and therefore did not oppose it as radically as the Communists in Russia did.
In the post-Soviet period, political work written by David Brandenberger became very popular. National Bolshevism, in his opinion, was born precisely in the Stalin era. The researcher gave examples of changes in the Soviet system of values on the eve of World War II. Soviet agitation began to turn to national Russocentric motives and national heroes of the past. This was done as part of the mobilization of the population before the impending war. Some figures of tsarist Russia were rehabilitated: Nevsky, Kutuzov, Rasputin and others. Such motives are extremely effective. Many political forces are still using them.
National Bolshevism in Russia
The first Russian National Bolsheviks appeared among Russian emigrants. After the establishment of Soviet power, some dissidents revised their attitude to communism due to the success of the new regime. Ideas were expressed to unite the views of the "white" emigrants and the Red Bolsheviks. Some figures even wrote scientific papers and sent them to Moscow.
The National Bolsheviks believed that the replacement of internationalism and cosmopolitanism with traditionalism and primordial nationalism would accelerate the
permanent revolution.Modernity
Many modern National Bolsheviks idealize the Stalin era of the USSR, considering it a model of the national-Bolshevik system. This is largely due to the appeal of Soviet propaganda to national traditions. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the first National Bolshevik Party appeared in Russia. Its leader was Eduard Limonov. Along with him, the philosopher Dugin and singer Yegor Letov stood at the head . The NBP was remembered for a number of rather high-profile direct-action shares in the nineties.
National Bolsheviks seized office buildings, disrupted government meetings, attacked corrupt officials.
The movement was criticized by both left and right. National Bolshevism and Trotskyism were always in stiff opposition to each other, despite the similarity of ideas. Also criticized
Also, the National Bolsheviks are criticized "from the right." Liberals and centrists do not take harsh anti-capitalist positions. In the nineties, the national-Bolshevik movement took on a truly wide scope. Various associations were in many post-Soviet countries. In Russia, some National Bolsheviks received long prison sentences under rather strange circumstances. After the arrest of most activists, the movement began to decline. At the moment, in Russia and the post-Soviet countries there is not a single legal national-Bolshevik movement.