AMERICAN NAZIS AND COLONIZERS WORLDWIDE

The Nazi project can be understood as a form of settler colonialism, centered around a similarly aggressive expansionist agenda. This alignment is seen in both its goals and methods, which were designed to ensure the creation of a racially pure German empire, realm, or “Reich” through the displacement and extermination of other populations deemed inferior, both inside and outside of the nation.

At the heart of the Nazi ideology was the belief in a Third Reich that had a manifest destiny to conquer for Lebensraum (living space). Hitler linked this to both the primal struggle for existence otherwise known as the survival of the fittest, and the desire for a higher standard of living for the “Aryan” race. Lebensraum meant more than capturing territory. It was a vision of empire that sought to reclaim a sense of belonging through violent conquest, settlement, and extermination. It summoned people to fight for this vision, like those who wish to retain the American Dream and the land of opportunity.

Hitler envied the vast territories of the USA and sought a comparable empire for Germany. He believed that in order to attain a standard of living comparable to that of USA, Germany had to acquire what he called “unused land,” particularly in Eastern Europe, which was inhabited by what he deemed “inferior peoples” such as Slavs and Jews. In his rhetoric, he explicitly drew comparisons between the treatment of Native Americans in the USA, that the removal or annihilation of other populations was a natural requirement for establishing German dominance and prosperity.

This perspective underscores a colonial mindset where other populations were regarded as obstacles to “progress,” justifying brutal actions like mass extermination to achieve imperial goals. In addition to land acquisition, the rationale behind Nazi expansion included the idea of racial superiority, mirroring the racist ideas used to justify the USA. The Nazis promoted a racial hierarchy that placed Aryans at the top, thus legitimizing the subjugation or elimination of populations that did not fit their racial criteria.

This ideology was not only about acquiring land but also about establishing a “pure” racial state, resonating with the racial justifications employed in the history of settler colonialism in the Americas, where the genocide of Native Americans was often framed as a natural and necessary outcome of civilization’s progress. While American expansion often carried the pretense of civilizing missions, Nazi ideology was more straightforward in its brutality, openly calling for the extermination of undesirable populations to pave the way for a racially homogeneous empire.

The experience of Nazi fascism serves as a warning. We’re experiencing the rise of leaders who exploit crises, whether economic, environmental, or social, to build authoritarian governments out of the wreckage of neo-colonialism. More and more are advancing the practices of Nazi-style Lebensraum within their borders and outside them for territorial expansion, driven by resource competition and national crises. The combination of nationalism, claims to territory based on historical narratives, and the need for security over resources are pushing the global into another world war.

This is further fueled by the globalization of the Imperial Mode of Living and its neo-colonial requirements of ongoing economic exploitation, cultural domination, and systemic inequality. Not only is the survival of the fittest within nations becoming increasingly harsh, this same threat holds true between nations as well. As global consumption patterns become increasingly similar and unsustainable, while resource scarcity intensifies, nations are increasingly resorting to war, which the working class must stop through a global decolonial revolution.