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In reply to the discussion: OWS has meant just as much - if not more- than the teabagger movement to politics... [View all]RZM
(8,556 posts)53. The Weimar Republic lasted less than 15 years
The US is well north of 200. That makes quite a difference.
Democracy doesn't exist in a vacuum, nor can it be imposed overnight. It requires a solid foundation of laws, customs, and basic belief in it to survive. Those take a lot of time to develop. Weimar was relatively deficient in all of those things and was also saddled with terrible economic problems. And on top of all of that, they then had to contend with the Great Depression.
More apt modern comparisons to Weimar would be places that are new to Democracy, such as Russia or Iran. Not coincidentally, many of them aren't doing so hot in the democracy department right now.
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OWS has meant just as much - if not more- than the teabagger movement to politics... [View all]
jillan
Aug 2012
OP
Are you saying that all those hours I spent at Occupy Los Angeles (and
coalition_unwilling
Aug 2012
#8
LOL there's no way to RATIONALLY believe that tax equality would be an issue without OWS.
Zalatix
Aug 2012
#89
That's strange, because all polls taken on OWS showed that over 80% had heard of them
sabrina 1
Aug 2012
#49
Weimar had proportional representation in its Reichstag. U.S. has 'winner take all'
coalition_unwilling
Aug 2012
#10
Could you please explain this point in very simple terms? I don't get it.... (nt)
philly_bob
Aug 2012
#14
Um, in the Weimar Republic a poltiical party needed to only secure about
coalition_unwilling
Aug 2012
#21
It is a myth that proportional representation had anything to do with the Nazis taking power.
JackRiddler
Aug 2012
#61
Proportional representation had something to do with the Nazis taking power, as Hitler would not
coalition_unwilling
Aug 2012
#65
The Nazis were largest party in both 1932 parliamentary elections (July & November)
JackRiddler
Aug 2012
#68
Your point is valid for a hypothetical winner-take-all system with multiple viable parties. I might
coalition_unwilling
Aug 2012
#71
When the Nazis first came to power the Social Democrats and Communist had a combined majority.
Puregonzo1188
Aug 2012
#75
But the Baggers are not a 'movement'. They were a creation of big money interests
sabrina 1
Aug 2012
#50
LOL! You are definitely going to hold the DU record for most anti-Occupy posts by a country mile.
Zorra
Aug 2012
#36
OWS has helped bring together people to help those being illegally thrown out of their homes...
midnight
Aug 2012
#12
Frazzled you make an impressive point... I'm wondering if that list would not be so long if not for
midnight
Aug 2012
#64
My humble suggestion-keep reading what you can about OWS. It is a world wide movement regardless if
midnight
Aug 2012
#78
The teabaggers are heavily funded by the Koch Bros and more. OWS does not have the $ behind
jillan
Aug 2012
#18
for the first time in a generation - OWS made the subject of inequitable distribution of wealth a
Douglas Carpenter
Aug 2012
#35
No, and drop the fantasy. One side mobilized and elected 60+ people to congress, the other side
cecilfirefox
Aug 2012
#47
There is no comparison between a real Grassroots, International Social Justice movement
sabrina 1
Aug 2012
#51