RE: nazi social programs:
So i happened to be listening to a podcast on Alfred Krupp and help hammer home the point that the Nazi social programs are an extension of right-wing thinking and not originating from left-wing/marxism/whatever. Alfred Krupp was a far right capitalist who virtually invented Germany's whole steel industry. He was severely paranoid, hated communism, hated socialists, hated unions and (like most right-wing nuts) loved the smell of horse shit. He so hated left-wing policies and thinking that he nearly blew up his own steelworks with dynamite when the socialists had a minor political victory. Anyways, Germany's social safety network that exists today, and many parts of which were copied nearly word for word by the nazis, originates with this dude. To make it as simple as possible, Krupp developed his "General Regulations" for his employees. This laid out a long list of rules for company men to follow as well as the benefits they would receive. To combat unionization Krupp believed that providing benefits to his employees, such as healthcare and a pension, gave him leverage over their politics because he could take everything away from them if he wanted to punish them for leaning left politically (hmmm, not right?). Some of the rules for the employees: 12 hour work day, time cards, alcohol forbidden during work, unions banned, socialist newspapers/paraphernal banned (inside and outside work). Some of the "benefits" employees were given: healthcare (at Krupp owned hospitals), child education (at krupp owned schools), housing (at krupp owned housing), compulsory retirement fund (controlled by krupp). So you can see how Krupp was using this system as a tool to control his workers. This method of control was also extended by the Nazis. For example, Jewish people didn't get benefits from these social programs. Quite the opposite.
I can see why some of the brain-damaged right-wingers among us believe these to be socialist policies, but when you look at their origins and the motivations behind them...
A funny anecdote about Krupp and his hatred of socialists is he was one of the first industrialist/capitalists to spy on his employees looking for unionization and socialist activity. He hired inspectors to go through everything from trash to used toilet paper to look for clues. He ended up firing a nigh watchman with decades of time with the company because the watchmen's sandwich was wrapped using a socialist newspaper.
