Adolf Hitler, the leader of the Nazi Party prior to and during World War II, was no one’s idea of the ideal leader. Nonetheless he was a leader. Hitler capitalized on the German public’s frustration and fears to climb the ranks, and by sheer manipulation he became the world’s most notorious evil leader.Adolf Hitler was an authoritarian leader as he dominated and directed German policy for over a decade with no regard to the goals of his constituents (Berko, et al, 2007). Hitler was most certainly a dictator however he only became this after he won over and manipulated German public opinion. After World War I, Germany was collectively depressed about the outcome and the resulting conditions of the country. The Nazi Party marched in with promises of a more prosperous and victorious Germany, and Hitler being the captivating public speaker that he as won over German hearts and minds.
Hitler became a successful politician by exerting reward power, making the German public believe that the only way the country could gain back it former glory and success was through the Nazi Party with Hitler at the forefront. He used persuasion and proganda as well as fear to gain and maintain his power (Jewish Virtual Library, 2010). As he rose through politics, Hitler began to exert coercive power by intimidating not only his opposition but also members of his own party. Once he became President of the Nazi Party, Hitler used legitimate power to carry out his personal objectives of genocide and mass oppression.
I am hard pressed to find a favorable or admirable characteristic in Adolf Hitler, however as a person who suffers from stage fright I do wonder (and I suppose admire to an extent) about Hitler’s ability to speak in front of and captivate a large public audience. Mentally instable as he was, Hitler was a forceful and commanding speaker who did manage to inspire a nation (though not towards admirable ends)
Adolf Hitler was a seriously flawed individual. To say he was imperfect is an understatement. Leading through coercion and intimidation, as Hitler did, inevitably results in enemies and dissatisfied members of the group. Additionally, Hitler was seriously misguided and used his power for evil and personal gain.
When most people think of leaders, positive role models come to mind. It is easy to say that Hitler was not a leader, however he did move an entire nation. I personally would never follow Hitler and am certainly not proud of his actions however I cannot deny his ability to inspire Germany and his skillful manipulation to attain his own personal goals.
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After visiting the holocaust museum this past friday, I certainly support the point this article makes that Adolf Hitler was an incredible manipulator and leader. The way he spoke, the way he organized his leadership, his mannerisms, all aimed at swaying public opinion in support of his ideology. As utterly horrible and obviously malicious this ideology was, people blindly supported and partook in a horrible regime's success. His success was the causation of humanity's failure.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Ambi. Though we usually associate leadership with positive things, the fact that someone in that position can wield his/her power for good AS WELL AS for evil should not go over our heads. In fact, we should pay great deals of attention to those who can emerge as leaders from within the... dark side, if you will.
ReplyDeleteIt's tough to write an unbiased post about a character like Hitler, but I very much appreciate the fact that you were able to. Very eloquently, at that.
It's interesting to separate Hitler's qualities as a leader from his cruel and inhuman philosophies; in one respect he is a role model and in the other he is the complete opposite and anything but.
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