| Three New Deals: Reflections on Roosevelt's America, Mussolini's Italy, and Hitler's Germany, 1933-1939 Contributor(s): Schivelbusch, Wolfgang (Author) |
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ISBN: 0312427433 ISBN-13: 9780312427436 Publisher: St. Martins Press-3PL OUR PRICE: $17.10 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: September 2000 Annotation: FDR's New Deal is today regarded as the democratic ideal, the positive American response to a crisis that forced Germany and Italy toward National Socialism and Fascism. Yet in the 1930s, these regimes were not considered entirely antithetical. In this groundbreaking work, Wolfgang Schivelbusch investigates the shared elements of these three "new deals"--focusing on their architecture and public works projects--to offer a new explanation for the popularity of Europe's totalitarian systems. Writing with flair and concision, Schivelbusch casts a different light on the New Deal and puts forth a provocative explanation for the still-mysterious popularity of Europe's most tyrannical regimes. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - History | Modern - 20th Century - Political Science | Political Ideologies - General - History | United States - 20th Century |
| Dewey: 330.904 |
| Physical Information: 0.8" H x 5.5" W x 8.4" (0.70 lbs) 256 pages |
| Themes: - Cultural Region - Germany - Cultural Region - Italy - Chronological Period - 1930's |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: From a world-renowned cultural historian, an original look at the hidden commonalities among Fascism, Nazism, and the New Deal Today Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal is regarded as the democratic ideal, the positive American response to an economic crisis that propelled Germany and Italy toward Fascism. Yet in the 1930s, shocking as it may seem, these regimes were hardly considered antithetical. Now, Wolfgang Schivelbusch investigates the shared elements of these three new deals to offer a striking explanation for the popularity of Europe's totalitarian systems. Returning to the Depression, Schivelbusch traces the emergence of a new type of state: bolstered by mass propaganda, led by a charismatic figure, and projecting stability and power. He uncovers stunning similarities among the three regimes: the symbolic importance of gigantic public works programs like the TVA dams and the German autobahn, which not only put people back to work but embodied the state's authority; the seductive persuasiveness of Roosevelt's fireside chats and Mussolini's radio talks; the vogue for monumental architecture stamped on Washington, as on Berlin; and the omnipresent banners enlisting citizens as loyal followers of the state. Far from equating Roosevelt, Hitler, and Mussolini or minimizing their acute differences, Schivelbusch proposes that the populist and paternalist qualities common to their states hold the key to the puzzling allegiance once granted to Europe's most tyrannical regimes. |
Contributor Bio(s): Schivelbusch, Wolfgang: - Wolfgang Schivelbusch is an independent scholar who lives in New York and Berlin. His books include The Railway Journey, Disenchanted Night, and Tastes of Paradise. |