All political systems have potential for failure.

The people, the sheeple are for the most part in all societies just taking care of their own lives. They are dependent upon government to take care of it's own ends. It is a fact, most people have enough problems and issues in their own lives to keep them too busy to be very politically active.

Sad truth, Hitler was elected with 98% of popular vote 1933 as chancellor of Germany. The Wiemar republic was the catylst that elevated Hitler into such a position of power. The financial reparations burden after WWI on Germany was too heavy. There was not a way to deal with it and by trying Germany was in horrendous economic state.

The US learned many lessons, and one was the debaucle of the Wiemar Republic. Dealing with Germany and Japan with adequate reparations for the cost of war on all parties after their defeat in WW2 would have been a terrible burden for the future of those countries. Afterall, the people may vote, protest and even fight... but they are under the authority of the despots who cause and prosecute the wars. Sadly, in the aftermath of war there just aren't enough surviving despots to exact adequate revenge upon. Certainly there was not enough collateral in a destroyed Germany and Japan for assured payment of the cost to all parties from WW2.

The burden of the cost of WW2 was passed off as loss to all parties, except in the Eastern Bloc where Soviet Russia exacted tribute until 1987.

Seventy years after the war and those Eastern Bloc countries are just now beginning to see hope for the future. They have had their Hitlers too, because their people have been desparate to do something. Tito comes to mind.

never!! and if I ever giggled that was my business and nobody else ever got hurt of offended.

Like British Imperialism isn't off topic menough...

First of all, Hitler did not get elected chancellor. In the last free lection In November 1932 the national socialists got 33.1% of the votes. As per Wikipedia:

The results were a great disappointment for the Nazis, who once more emerged as the largest party by far but failed to form a government coalition, while again both anti-democratic parties, Nazis and Communists, together obtained the majority of seats in the Reichstag parliament. So far Chancellor Franz von Papen, a former member of the Catholic Centre Party (today CDU, Merkel is from that one), had governed without parliamentary support relying on legislative decrees promulgated by Reich President Paul von Hindenburg according to Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution. However, on 12 September 1932 Papen had to ask Hindenburg to dissolve the parliament in order to preempt a motion of no confidence tabled by the Communist Party that met with approval by the Nazis. The DNVP MPs had backed Papen, which earned them a gain of 15 seats.

Chancellor Papen urged Hindenburg to further on govern by emergency decrees, nevertheless on December 3 he was superseded by his Defence Minister Kurt von Schleicher who in talks with the left wing of the Nazi Party led by Gregor Strasser tried to build up a Third Position (Querfront) strategy. These plans failed when in turn Hitler disempowered Strasser and approached Papen who reached Hindenburg's consent to form the Cabinet Hitler on 30 January 1933.

Mainly because my first post in this was responded to with an accusation of being a Nationalist, nothing to do with Kongo.

is it?.......one sketch in a Faulty towers episode and a series of Blackadder based on WWI and it's repetitive?.......oh ok and there was that awfull 'alo alo' series years ago.

Its Tea & Crumpets old boy :-P

If I may remind you of the tasteless headlines and photos on british newspapers before the Euro 96 semi-finals, the equally tasteless "10 little Spitfires" chants propagated by british online communities before World Cup 2006 and actually sung by some (admittedly drunken) idiots in german city centers ... It's not just that the yellow press is so besotted with the topic but it's actually worse that it returns again and again and no voice is raised that tells 'em to STFU. Silent agreement or silent disagreement aren't distinguishable from the outside, you know. ;)

Idiots are idiots worldwide and I can only utterly apologise for anyone on the receiving end of such ignorance. I can't apologise on behalf of the whole British population but I can on behalf of my 1/60,000,000 of it.

Regards Mike

Of course the whole point of Blackadder the 4th was to take the merciless mickey out of ourselves. The only vaguely anti German thing in Blackadder Goes Forth was the Red Baron (and that was kinda funny, reminds me of Michael Schumacher)

:grin:

Regards Mike