Is Democracy a Failure?

As America struggles to extricate itself from the quagmire of Depression, so does the rest of the world. Governments across Europe are faced with the same challenge. How to climb out of the rut, and get back to normal.

For the first time, America is beginning to doubt the wisdom of relying upon a democratic system. The question now is whether democracy is any good at running a complex economy. There are two attractive alternatives.

A newer model of government, called 'Fascism,' combines government with business to create a unified single-party system. This is similar to Communism, but attempts to bring out the best expertise of the country.
Fascism succeeding, 1930s

  Rising Anarchy
Street riots are erupting all over Europe when Hitler suddenly appears on the world stage. He expands on the Fascist concept of an iron-fisted dictator, determined to crush all opposition. Hitler adds his secret agenda of transforming Germany into a military-industrial powerhouse. Meanwhile, Stalin hijacks a former workers' movement to create rigid one-man rule in Russia.

Nazi dynamism vs American stagnation, 1930s

  Nazi Dynamism
As the 1930s drag on, the world begins to wonder if perhaps America's best days are already behind it. Maybe democracy is just a noble experiment that's bound to fail, eventually. Meanwhile, the Germans are rebounding strongly under a much different system. Nazi parades seen in newsreels present a picture of vitality and progress, contrasting sharply with what Americans see in their own neighborhoods.


Communism in America, 1930s

  Power to the People
Communism presents another alternative that appeals to many. The word 'soviet' is the name given to early Russian village councils, which sprang up in opposition to the Czar. Soviet propaganda promotes Communism as a way to give power to the people, creating the appearance of an autonomous worker's movement. Communist rallies pop up in 30 American cities, from Boston to San Francisco, and continue to do so into the late 1930s.