Having denounced the most popular of the present political systems, Hitler proposes his own, which he says is that of the National Socialists. He labels this the "folkish" state, and is unable to coherently explain why he uses this term. The essence of the "folkish" concept of the state, however, is rather clear: the folkish state operates under the principles of "Nature," or social Darwinism. The purpose of the state is to preserve the Aryan race, which has the highest potential cultural level of all the races. In doing so, it will adhere to "natural" principles in ruling the state: rule shall ultimately be in the hands of a single individual, chosen from amongst the small class of persons who have the natural abilities. With no parliament or majority rule, the state will be in the hands of responsible individuals. This will ensure that those qualified to rule will be attracted to the government and not deterred by idiots in a parliament. The leaders will be assisted by councils, whose duty will be just that: to counsel the leaders; but the ultimate responsibility for the decision will be that of the leaders alone (449).In furtherance of this ideal, there will be three classes of people in the folkish state. The subject will have been born in the state but will possess no right to hold political office or carry on political activity. The foreigner will be distinguished from the subject only in that he was born in a foreign state and is a subject of that state. The citizen must be born a subject of the folkish state, must be racially pure, and may earn citizenship only through service in the army (440-41). More important, however, is what Hitler was saying in the book. At the basis of all his writing is the idea of racial purity and the supremacy of the pure Aryan race as the natural order of the world. He cites natural science as the foundation of his ideas, but never supports these claims with evidence. In reality, his ideas seem to be based more upon a disti |
