What Is National Socialism?
Nazism, or National Socialism, was the totalitarian movement led by Adolf Hitler as head of the Nazi Party in Germany. It combined intense nationalism, mass appeal and dictatorial rule; a central aim of Nazi policy was… Part of the Nationalist family.
Definition
Nazism, or National Socialism, was the totalitarian movement led by Adolf Hitler as head of the Nazi Party in Germany. It combined intense nationalism, mass appeal and dictatorial rule; a central aim of Nazi policy was the annihilation of those it defined as enemies of the “Aryan” people.
Core ideas
- Intense nationalism and dictatorial rule.
- Antisemitism and white supremacy.
- Totalitarian control of society.
Origins
Germany, 1919–1945.
Associated thinkers and leaders
Adolf Hitler, Alfred Rosenberg, Carl Schmitt
Definition based on Britannica: Nazism (checked October 20, 2026).
Where National Socialism sits on the Atlas maps
| Map dimension | Score (0–100) | Position | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economic Collective / planned ↔ Market | 42 | near the center | |
| Social Progressive ↔ Traditional | 92 | strongly toward traditional | |
| Authority Libertarian ↔ Authoritarian | 92 | strongly toward authoritarian | |
| National identity Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist | 100 | strongly toward nationalist | |
| Foreign policy Non-intervention ↔ Intervention | 98 | strongly toward intervention |
All nine underlying dimensions
| Dimension | Score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Economic ownership Collective ownership ↔ Private ownership | 56 | near the center |
| Civil liberties Civil liberty ↔ State restrictions | 83 | toward state restrictions |
| National identity Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist | 100 | strongly toward nationalist |
| Social and cultural values Progressive ↔ Traditionalist | 100 | strongly toward traditionalist |
| Political governance Democratic ↔ Autocratic | 100 | strongly toward autocratic |
| Equality and hierarchy Egalitarian ↔ Hierarchical | 98 | strongly toward hierarchical |
| Economic management Free market ↔ State planning | 79 | toward state planning |
| Military intervention Non-intervention ↔ Intervention | 98 | strongly toward intervention |
| Religion and government Secular state ↔ Religious authority | 73 | toward religious authority |
These positions are estimates on the Atlas’s nine-dimension scale, produced by running the tradition’s core principles through the same questions and scoring used for test-takers. They are interpretations for comparison, not objective measurements. How scores are made.
Estimated positions on key questions
| Statement | Position | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| The means of production should ultimately be owned collectively. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| A naturalized citizen can belong to the nation as fully as someone born there. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| People should be free to criticize the government without fear of legal punishment. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| A single ruling party can govern more effectively than a competitive multiparty system. | Strongly agrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Foreign wars should be avoided unless national territory is directly threatened. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Traditional values should guide what society considers right and wrong. | Strongly agrees | estimated from doctrine |
| A national religious authority should have the power to veto legislation. | Disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Society works best when established social hierarchies are respected. | Strongly agrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Markets generally distribute goods more effectively than government planners. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Authorities should be allowed to ban extremist political organizations. | Strongly agrees | estimated from doctrine |
Related ideologies
Main differences from the closest ideologies
- Compared with Fascism, National Socialism sits 9 points further toward market on the economic dimension.
- Compared with Italian Fascism, National Socialism sits 11 points further toward market on the economic dimension.
- Compared with Bonapartism, National Socialism sits 11 points further toward traditional on the social dimension.
Figures with the closest estimated positions
Closeness of estimated positions only; this does not mean these people identify with National Socialism.
Sources
- Britannica: Nazism
- Wikipedia: National Socialism (Wikipedia search)
- Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Socialism
- Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Nationalism
Position last reviewed: not yet reviewed individually.