Reply #72: If you studied the Nazis, they peaked in 1931 BEFORE Hitler ran for President [View All]

And the Nazi's vote had actually DECLINED afterward, but Hitler took power anyway for he was till the single most powerful party. The Second most powerful was the Communists who were on the rise when Hitler took over. Thus Hitler's was given power as his base was in decline AND the opposition was gaining power. At that point the traditional powers in the German Political system gave Hitler complete power. The Communists were the repressed (if not killed) The Catholic Centre Party agreed to support Hitler in exchange for more freedoms for Catholics (A promise Hitler Subsequently broke) but once Hitler had total power he dissolved all other parties (In the case of the Center Party, with an treaty with the Vatican where the Vatican agreed NOT to interfere with Politics and Hitler agreed to leave the Catholic Church alone, a promise Hitler subsequently broke).

November 1932 Election, the Nazis win 34% of the vote"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_election,_November_1932

Compared to the July 1932 election where the Nazis had won 37% of the Vote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_federal_election,_July_1932

In the last free Election in Germany (March 1933) the Nazi dropped again to just 33% of the Vote (and this is with Hitler as Chancellor and thus free to use the SA to intimidate voters at the polls):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_federal_election,_March_1933

My point is the issue of peak is NOT important, Hitler saw a steady decline in support in the year BEFORE he took power. His ability to hold on to most of that base AND the that the opposition HAD to be allied with the Communists (Who also had about 33% of the vote) left the ruling elites to go with Hitler. There was no way they would go with the Communists and with the Communists getting 1/3 of the Vote just increased the fears of the rich. Right now we have no serious radical left opposition so the ruling elite can use the Tea-partiers with minimal fears, but if the radical left would get energized then you will see a Hitler.