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National Socialism, emerging from the shattered remains of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the wake of World War I, promised yet another a “third way” between capitalism and communism.<ref>Artur Moeller van den Bruck's book ''The Third Reich'' (1923) was originally entitled ''The Third Way.'' (George Lachmann Mosse, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=6oiD85C9HzUC Masses and Man: Nationalist and Fascist Perceptions of Reality]'' [Wayne State University Press, 1987] ISBN 0814318959, pp. 84, 166) On Fascism as “third way,” see Zeev Sternhell, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=ccgIu6oYkREC Neither Right nor Left: Fascist Ideology in France]'' (Princeton University Press, 1996) ISBN 0691006296, p. 94, and Roger Eatwell, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=x3U6AAAAMAAJ Fascism: A History]'', (London: Allen Lane, 1996), ISBN 071399147X, p. 11.</ref> Whereas Communism sought to unite the working class of all nations to fight for their class, and fascism sought to unite all the classes with a country to fight for the State, National Socialism sought to unite all members of a race, from whatever class or nation, to fight for their race. It was this "Third Way" that attracted [[Adolf Hitler]].

National Socialism, emerging from the shattered remains of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the wake of World War I, promised yet another a “third way” between capitalism and communism.<ref>Artur Moeller van den Bruck's book ''The Third Reich'' (1923) was originally entitled ''The Third Way.'' (George Lachmann Mosse, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=6oiD85C9HzUC Masses and Man: Nationalist and Fascist Perceptions of Reality]'' [Wayne State University Press, 1987] ISBN 0814318959, pp. 84, 166) On Fascism as “third way,” see Zeev Sternhell, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=ccgIu6oYkREC Neither Right nor Left: Fascist Ideology in France]'' (Princeton University Press, 1996) ISBN 0691006296, p. 94, and Roger Eatwell, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=x3U6AAAAMAAJ Fascism: A History]'', (London: Allen Lane, 1996), ISBN 071399147X, p. 11.</ref> Whereas Communism sought to unite the working class of all nations to fight for their class, and fascism sought to unite all the classes with a country to fight for the State, National Socialism sought to unite all members of a race, from whatever class or nation, to fight for their race. It was this "Third Way" that attracted [[Adolf Hitler]].

As early as 1933, Nobel prize winning economist F.A. Hayek warned William Beveridge, director of the London School of Economics, that "National 'Socialism' is a genuine socialist movement."<ref>Memorandum: Hayek to Beveridge, Nazi-Socialism, Spring 1933 (F.A. Hayek Papers (Hoover Institution), Box 105, Folder 10, in Friedrich August Hayek, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=qg61T_I1mwsC The road to serfdom: text and documents]'' (University of Chicago Press, 2007) ISBN 0226320553, p. 245</ref> As Socialist Party leader Norman Thomas admitted, "In no way was Hitler the tool of big business."<ref>Norman Thomas, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=dJBWAAAAMAAJ A Socialist's Faith] (Norton, 1951), pp. 53-35</ref> Hitler stated that under Nazism, "the attitude of the State towards capital would be comparatively simple and clear. Its only object would be to make sure that capital remained subservient to the State."<ref>Adolf Hitler, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=EBUBUEeUwxUC Mein Kampf: zwei Bände in einem Band'', Vol. 1] 40th Ed. (Bottom of the Hill, 1938) ISBN 1935785079, p. 183</ref> David Schoenbaum notes that the Nazi Party census found the single largest category of Party members was “Workers” (30.3%); the second-largest category was “White collar,” (19.4%), of which 59.1% were in sales; the third-largest category, “Independent”/“Self-Employed” made up 19%, the largest group of whom were in “handicraft” (43.7%). Schoenbaum adds that of the two exhibits most often trotted out in defense of the Naziism-as-capitalist-plot thesis&mdash;Fritz Thyssen and the Krupps&mdash;that Thyssen eventually had to flee Nazi Germany for Switzerland, while even the Krupps “did not finance Hitler before 1933,” when his victory had become a ''fait accompli''.<ref>David Schoenbaum, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=1wNCSxrUlyMC Hitler's Social Revolution: Class and Status in Nazi Germany, 1933-1939]'' (W. W. Norton & Company, 1997) ISBN 0393315541, p. 67</ref> Moreover, some business people likewise supported FDR's policies (e.g., "Although I'm a capitalist, I happen to believe in [Roosevelt's] program").<ref>Lorena A. Hickok, et al., ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=nstfz85S4ccC One Third of a Nation: Lorena Hickok Reports on the Great Depression]'' (University of Illinois Press, 1983) ISBN 0252010965, p. 218</ref> Even Ronald Reagan was a New Dealer, back when he was a liberal Democrat and a Roosevelt man (although he later saw the light, saying, "Fascism was really the basis of the New Deal").<ref>Howell Raines, "[http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60D10FB3A5F12728DDDAE0994D0405B8084F1D3 Reagan Denies Plan to Answer Carter]," ''The New York Times'', August 17, 1980, p. 1</ref>

As early as 1933, Nobel prize winning economist F.A. Hayek warned William Beveridge, director of the London School of Economics, that "National 'Socialism' is a genuine socialist movement."<ref>Memorandum: Hayek to Beveridge, Nazi-Socialism, Spring 1933 (F.A. Hayek Papers (Hoover Institution), Box 105, Folder 10, in Friedrich August Hayek, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=qg61T_I1mwsC The road to serfdom: text and documents]'' (University of Chicago Press, 2007) ISBN 0226320553, p. 245</ref> As Socialist Party leader Norman Thomas admitted, "In no way was Hitler the tool of big business."<ref>Norman Thomas, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=dJBWAAAAMAAJ A Socialist's Faith] (Norton, 1951), pp. 53-35</ref> As Hitler put it:

 

 

Hitler stated that under Nazism, "the attitude of the State towards capital would be comparatively simple and clear. Its only object would be to make sure that capital remained subservient to the State."<ref>Adolf Hitler, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=EBUBUEeUwxUC Mein Kampf: zwei Bände in einem Band'', Vol. 1] 40th Ed. (Bottom of the Hill, 1938) ISBN 1935785079, p. 183</ref> David Schoenbaum notes that the Nazi Party census found the single largest category of Party members was “Workers” (30.3%); the second-largest category was “White collar,” (19.4%), of which 59.1% were in sales; the third-largest category, “Independent”/“Self-Employed” made up 19%, the largest group of whom were in “handicraft” (43.7%). Schoenbaum adds that of the two exhibits most often trotted out in defense of the Naziism-as-capitalist-plot thesis&mdash;Fritz Thyssen and the Krupps&mdash;that Thyssen eventually had to flee Nazi Germany for Switzerland, while even the Krupps “did not finance Hitler before 1933,” when his victory had become a ''fait accompli''.<ref>David Schoenbaum, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=1wNCSxrUlyMC Hitler's Social Revolution: Class and Status in Nazi Germany, 1933-1939]'' (W. W. Norton & Company, 1997) ISBN 0393315541, p. 67</ref> Moreover, some business people likewise supported FDR's policies (e.g., "Although I'm a capitalist, I happen to believe in [Roosevelt's] program").<ref>Lorena A. Hickok, et al., ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=nstfz85S4ccC One Third of a Nation: Lorena Hickok Reports on the Great Depression]'' (University of Illinois Press, 1983) ISBN 0252010965, p. 218</ref> Even Ronald Reagan was a New Dealer, back when he was a liberal Democrat and a Roosevelt man (although he later saw the light, saying, "Fascism was really the basis of the New Deal").<ref>Howell Raines, "[http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60D10FB3A5F12728DDDAE0994D0405B8084F1D3 Reagan Denies Plan to Answer Carter]," ''The New York Times'', August 17, 1980, p. 1</ref>

In fact, much of Nazism was borrowed<ref>[http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8d34748 Southington, Connecticut. School children pledging their allegiance to the flag], United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944 (Library of Congress)</ref> from American progressives<ref>Even the term "national socialism" was coined by American socialist Edward Bellamy. (Alison Ravetz , ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=4thHBdqD2tEC Council Housing and Culture: The History of a Social Experiment]'' (Psychology Press, 2001), ISBN 0415239451, p. 49; c.f. Sylvia Strauss, "Gender, Class and Race in Utopia," in Daphne Patai, ed., ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=qV7yKyMeGB4C Looking Backward, 1988-1888: Essays on Edward Bellamy]'' (University of Massachusetts Press, 1988), ISBN 0870236342, p. 71). He was the author of the 1888 utopian novel ''[http://www.nytimes.com/1988/01/17/books/looking-back-at-looking-backward-we-have-seen-the-future-and-it-didn-t-work.htm Looking Backward]'', which was [http://www.education.com/study-help/article/progressive-era-18951914/ read by most early progressives] as is said to have [http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/guideDesc.asp?catid=93&type=issue kicked off the Progressive Era]. Robert Weir, ed., ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=y7n2tJVd3YsC Class in America: An Encyclopedia] (ABC-CLIO, 2007), ISBN 0313068356, p. 65</ref> and Democrats<ref>Jim Lindgren, [http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2004_10_17-2004_10_23.shtml#1098345826 1938 Gallup poll data], The Volokh Conspiracy, October 21, 2004, 4:03am</ref>&mdash;eugenics and "racial hygiene,"<ref>Karlheinz Weissmann, "[http://mises.org/journals/jls/12_2/12_2_3.pdf The Epoch of National Socialism]," ''The Journal of Libertarian Studies'' Vol. 12 No. 2 (Fall 1996), pp. 257–294</ref> for example. As [http://www.amphilsoc.org/sites/default/files/Nisbet.pdf Robert Nisbet] observed:

In fact, much of Nazism was borrowed<ref>[http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8d34748 Southington, Connecticut. School children pledging their allegiance to the flag], United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944 (Library of Congress)</ref> from American progressives<ref>Even the term "national socialism" was coined by American socialist Edward Bellamy. (Alison Ravetz , ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=4thHBdqD2tEC Council Housing and Culture: The History of a Social Experiment]'' (Psychology Press, 2001), ISBN 0415239451, p. 49; c.f. Sylvia Strauss, "Gender, Class and Race in Utopia," in Daphne Patai, ed., ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=qV7yKyMeGB4C Looking Backward, 1988-1888: Essays on Edward Bellamy]'' (University of Massachusetts Press, 1988), ISBN 0870236342, p. 71). He was the author of the 1888 utopian novel ''[http://www.nytimes.com/1988/01/17/books/looking-back-at-looking-backward-we-have-seen-the-future-and-it-didn-t-work.htm Looking Backward]'', which was [http://www.education.com/study-help/article/progressive-era-18951914/ read by most early progressives] as is said to have [http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/guideDesc.asp?catid=93&type=issue kicked off the Progressive Era]. Robert Weir, ed., ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=y7n2tJVd3YsC Class in America: An Encyclopedia] (ABC-CLIO, 2007), ISBN 0313068356, p. 65</ref> and Democrats<ref>Jim Lindgren, [http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2004_10_17-2004_10_23.shtml#1098345826 1938 Gallup poll data], The Volokh Conspiracy, October 21, 2004, 4:03am</ref>&mdash;eugenics and "racial hygiene,"<ref>Karlheinz Weissmann, "[http://mises.org/journals/jls/12_2/12_2_3.pdf The Epoch of National Socialism]," ''The Journal of Libertarian Studies'' Vol. 12 No. 2 (Fall 1996), pp. 257–294</ref> for example. As [http://www.amphilsoc.org/sites/default/files/Nisbet.pdf Robert Nisbet] observed: