8mm to the Left: If Hitler Died in 1923
- Thread starter KaiserKatze
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Yes, but I was going on the assumption that he was reading lips and having his companion speak for him, as I doubt people in this era would be particularly receptive or respectful to a deaf person's intonation.
That was actually my original plan, but upon further research I realised that the French far-Right movement was too splintered and divided for that sort of united pushback, and on top of that the French public, while pro-military, was quite anti-fascist in this era (though I imagine less so without the threat of Hitler, which is why the Centre-Right stays in power). At best the Parisian police might have defected to the protestors but I could not see that carrying the protests to a true fascist takeover.
De la Roque was a big part of the French far-Right movements staying divided through his own hesitance to really push back against the system, while simultaneously he had become so tied to the Croix de feux that his death or removal would cause it to collapse without another option. The riots might have failed to topple the government, but they succeeded in uniting the majority of the anti-Republican Right-wing forces under the Action Francaise.
With Action Francaise dominating the hard-right, how would the likes of Deat and Doriot who were IOTL socialists-turned-ultranationalists develop in their political views with a more "reactionary" far-right than OTL?
The Action Française will be a bit like the SPD in Germany wherein they will have several types of Right-wing ideology ranging in extremism and goals, for example the Monarchists vs. Fascists
I haven't planned anything for Deat yet, but Doriot will come to be a big player in the more Fascist-aiming ultra-Right part of AF, opposing the Monarchists whom he sees as an opposition to French modernisation along dictatorial lines
So basically, the French far-right would ITTL be seeking to form a united front here, especially with Vorbeck in Germany and all that?
Something along those lines, yes, and especially as an opponent to Blum's Popular Front come the next round of elections
What I sort of have in mind in my head--assuming it makes a realistic sense based on what I have been reading about 30s France--is that the French system becomes increasingly bipolar as it coalesces around these coalitions compared to the spectrum of parties in Germany or others. A bit like the British or modern American systems, but with both sides willing to take in extremist members.
This system has some benefits in terms of accomplishing change for the party in power but definitely contributes to the partisanship and in the long run will be one of the damning features of the Third Republic, as it sort of solidifies and villainizes the sides.
This system has some benefits in terms of accomplishing change for the party in power but definitely contributes to the partisanship and in the long run will be one of the damning features of the Third Republic, as it sort of solidifies and villainizes the sides.
Democracy is a bit of a strange word within the concept of this story because, by definition, a lot of democracies will lose their pure democracy, but actually very few will properly become dictatorships or otherwise. Democracy will have a somewhat looser connotation in this world than how we define it, with nations that we wouldn't consider democratic considering themselves as such here.
So, what we'd call "hybrid regimes", "anocracies", and/or "illiberal democracies" would very much be more prevalent even in the West here?
Exactly. Many will incorporate elements like monarchism or authoritarianism to an effect which we would consider undemocratic but which in this world will be considered "protectivist democracy" by limiting how much influence the common man can actually impose. (The name for this is still up for debate if anyone can think of something better.)
As an example, two nations from the modern Balkans in my story. One has a monarch who invites the Prime Minister to form the government, but who will actually refuse to if he disapproves of the candidate, and will choose a minority government instead. This doesn't happen frequently, but once or twice every 20 to 30 years. In another, a Republic, the Upper House holds far more power than the Lower and will often ignore or overturn attempts by the Lower. Both of these nations are considered and consider themselves democratic, just... with caveats.
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Still too vague. Constitutional monarchy as a term is already too vague, a constitution can lay all powers in the monarch after all. Guided democracy is the closest I can get to a term that describes it well. Or perhaps authorative democracy
TheSpectacledCloth
Gone Fishin'
Other than Goering, will there be any other OTL Nazis that decide to leave the party and side with Vorbeck instead?
It doesn't even have to be ideological reasons, but rather a pragmatic and logical opportunity.
It doesn't even have to be ideological reasons, but rather a pragmatic and logical opportunity.
