What were the main policies of Hitler's domestic agenda?

Hitler's domestic agenda primarily focused on racial purity, economic self-sufficiency, and totalitarian control.

Adolf Hitler's domestic policies were driven by his vision of a racially pure, economically self-sufficient, and politically totalitarian Germany. His policies were designed to realise this vision and were implemented with ruthless efficiency.

Racial purity was a cornerstone of Hitler's domestic agenda. He believed in the superiority of the Aryan race and sought to eliminate those he considered racially inferior or undesirable. This led to the implementation of the Nuremberg Laws in 1935, which stripped Jews of their rights and citizenship. The policy of racial purity also extended to other groups such as the Roma, disabled individuals, and homosexuals, who were subjected to systematic persecution and extermination in what came to be known as the Holocaust.

Economic self-sufficiency, or autarky, was another key aspect of Hitler's domestic policy. He aimed to make Germany economically independent and free from the influence of foreign powers. This was achieved through a series of Four Year Plans, which focused on rearmament and the development of synthetic substitutes for raw materials. The policies led to significant economic recovery and reduced unemployment, but they also resulted in a militarised economy that was geared towards war.

Totalitarian control was the third pillar of Hitler's domestic agenda. He sought to establish absolute control over all aspects of German life. This was achieved through the implementation of Gleichschaltung, or coordination, which brought all institutions and organisations under Nazi control. The policy of totalitarian control also involved the suppression of political dissent, the establishment of a police state, and the use of propaganda to shape public opinion.

IB History Tutor Summary: Hitler's domestic policies aimed to create a Germany based on racial purity, economic independence, and total control by the Nazi party. He persecuted those deemed racially inferior, leading to the Holocaust, pursued economic self-sufficiency through military buildup, and established a totalitarian regime that controlled every aspect of life, stifling opposition and manipulating public opinion.

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