希特勒的上台过程表明民主是如何的脆弱！ （中英文版）

从表面现象来看，希特勒和他的纳粹党是按照合法程序，被选民推上台的，但希特勒及其纳粹党，合法途径夺权背后的几乎所有手段，都是非法的，都是对宪法原则的公然践踏。远在1921年7月，希特勒取得对纳粹党的领导权后，立即着手建立纳粹党的武装力量，同年8月，专门负责在他举行集会时维持“秩序”的那些武斗队，演变成为一个身着戎装的准军事组织。正是这个武装力量，在希特勒夺取政权的过程中，起到了不可替代的作用，成了一个肆意破坏民主宪政的冲锋队。到1933年为止，冲锋队在全国挑起的武斗案件达4万起，连续不断地制造了恐怖事件，他们进行的殴斗、谋杀、爆炸和暗害活动，扼杀了一切进行的政治讨论及反对者的政治空间，使德国陷入了比第一次世界大战后，更为严重和混乱的局势，冲锋队为希特勒上台冲锋陷阵，立下了汗马功劳。不久，希特勒不断壮大自己的贴身卫队——党卫队，以取代冲锋队位置，而党卫队只效忠希特勒一人，同时具有军事性质和秘密警察性质。到三十年代中期，党卫队的4.5万名秘密警察已分布于全国，监视着敌视政府的一切活动，它的6.5万名保安警察和280万名风纪警察，保卫着希特勒的安全，它的4万名看守人员，在20座集中营和附近的160座劳动营，残酷迫害无辜的“犯人”和反法西斯战士，它的10万名保安处情报人员，密切地监视着国民的思想动向，几乎控制着整个德意志民族。由此可见，希特勒在实际上是，一直以破坏和摈弃民主程序的各种强力手段，来夺取最高权力的，而不是依靠遵守民主的程序和规则，达到这一目的的。

“德国历史上的 “魏玛宪法”从纸面上来说，几乎是二十世纪最自由、最民主的宪法之一。它的结构之严密几乎到了完善的程度，其中不乏设想巧妙、令人钦佩的条文，看来似乎足以保证一种几乎完善无疵的，民主制度的实行。”（《第三帝国的兴亡纳粹德国史》85页）然而“魏玛宪法”失败了，因为再精巧、再复杂的设计，都抵御不了人性的贪婪堕落，同样也抵御不了一般民众的贪生怕死、胆小怕事，而恰巧当时是德国基督教信仰最稀薄的时候，否则很难相信，会这样狂热地崇拜一个不是上帝的凡人。民主选举并不是很稀奇的事，在人类的不同时期都曾经存在过，但都无法长久地坚持下来，就是因为人性使然，民主、自由、平等其实是最反人性的，与我们现实中接触的常识是完全相反的。民主选举只有建立在上帝之下人人平等，兄弟之爱的基础上才是最牢固、最可靠的，这也是迄今为止人类历史经验所证明的，所以说对于一个越来越远离上帝，越来越远离兄弟之爱的美国，我是一点信心都没有。

注：

①《The Bad Citizen in Classical Athens》By Matthew R.  Christ. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006.

On the surface, Hitler and his Nazi party were promoted to power by voters following legal procedures. But almost all the means behind the legal procedures to seize power are illegal and blatantly trampled on constitutional principles. As far as July 1921, when Hitler took the lead over the Nazi party, he immediately set out to build the armed forces of the Nazi Party. In August of the same year, the armed forces maintaining “order” during his rally evolved into a paramilitary military uniform. This armed force played an irreplaceable role in Hitler’s capturing of power and became a Stormtrooper that wantonly destroyed the democratic constitution. By 1933, the stormtrooper had provoked 40000 armed fights throughout the country and continuously perpetrated terrorist incidents. Those fights, murders, and explosions killed all political discussions and opponents’ political space, making Germany fall into a most difficult and chaotic situation after World War I. The stormtrooper made significant contributions to Hitler’s rising to power. Not much later, Hitler expanded his bodyguard, the SS, to replace the position of The stormtrooper, the SS was loyal to Hitler only, and it was both military and secret police. By the mid-1930s, 45000 secret police officers of the SS had been deployed throughout the country, monitoring hostile activities to the government. Its 65000 security police and 2.8 million discipline police guarded Hitler. In addition, there were 40000 guards in 160 labor camps and 20 concentration camps nearby, cruelly persecuted innocent “Prisoners” and anti-fascist soldiers. There was also 100000 security intelligence personnel closely monitoring the ideological trend of the people. All of this let Hitler almost control the whole of Germany. Therefore, Hitler seized the highest power by destroying and abandoning the democratic procedure and rules rather than complying with them.

“Weimar constitution” of German was almost one of the most liberal and democratic constitutions in the 20th century. Its structure was almost perfect and had many ingenious and admirable provisions, which seemed to be enough to guarantee the implementation of a nearly perfect and flawless democracy. “(“The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, History of Nazi Germany,” p. 85). However, the Weimar constitution failed because sophisticated and complicated designs couldn’t fight back the greed and degradation of human nature; it could not resist the people’s fear of death and cowardice. Moreover, It happened at a time when German Christianity was more vulnerable than anytime else; otherwise, it was difficult to believe that German fanatically idolized a layman more than God. Democratic elections are not very rare, they have existed in different periods of humans, but they can not be held on for a long time. Because of human nature, democracy, freedom, and equality are actually the most anti-human nature and are totally contrary to the common sense we see in reality. Democratic elections are secure and reliable only when everyone is equal under God and based on brotherly love. This is also proved by human experience so far. Therefore, I have no confidence in an America which is going away from God and brotherly love.

Note：

①  Matthew R  “The Bad Citizen in Classical Athens”  Christ. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006.