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Multi-Level Governance in Hitler's Germany: Reassessing the Political Structure of the National Socialist State
Mehrebenenverwaltung im Nationalsozialismus: eine Neubewertung der politischen Struktur des NS-Staats
[journal article]
Abstract To explain the fatal efficiency and relative stability of the Nazi dictatorship, it is necessary to analyze how governmental institutions and society at various levels of the political system interacted. Contrary to the expectation that polycratic structures hampered administrative efficiency and te... view more
To explain the fatal efficiency and relative stability of the Nazi dictatorship, it is necessary to analyze how governmental institutions and society at various levels of the political system interacted. Contrary to the expectation that polycratic structures hampered administrative efficiency and tended to undermine well-established political structures it turns out that new models of governance evolved from the chaotic competition and short-lived cooperation of traditional administrations, party structures and newly created special institutions. While key players on the national level claimed to control lines of command from top to bottom the adaptability of the whole system to new challenges depended to a large extent on complex and often improvised arrangements of multi-level governance. During the war these arrangements served to integrate and to mobilize all political, administrative, military, economic and social forces whose resources were essential to sustain the war effort of the Nazi leadership.... view less
Keywords
multi-level-governance; World War; mobilization; decentralization; Nazism; political system; German Reich
Classification
Political System, Constitution, Government
General History
Free Keywords
Gau; Reich Defense Commissioners; polycracy; Nazi Germany
Document language
English
Publication Year
2017
Page/Pages
p. 218-242
Journal
Historical Social Research, 42 (2017) 2
Issue topic
Spatial Dimensions of Governance in 20th Century Political Struggles
DOI
https://doi.org/10.12759/hsr.42.2017.2.218-242
ISSN
0172-6404
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed