Nazism

   The Nazism from the beginning identified themselves as representing the true Germans, Das Volk (the people).  The other conservative parties also tried to identify with the "volk" and used it in their names.  The Nazis were given political legitimacy when they were endorsed by the DNVP as a junior partner.  Many of the old school aristocrats were equally anti-Semitic and had equal contempt for democracy, they foolishly believed that they could control Hitler and the Nazis while using popularity.  This changed after 1930 when the Nazis became the dominant partner in the alliance.  Most of the conservative elements in Germany believed that Germany had been "stabbed in the back" by foreigners and intellectuals who had too much influence in society.  The Nazis promised to "get their country back" and restore Germany to its proper place.

   In this passage its said that the Nazis represented themselves as the people given themselves a name that will allow the country to trust them.

   I choose this passage because it says that at one point the Nazis were kind off betray foreigners which were looking to find a way on how to controlled them and take over their country and liberty.

1.  Some of the major reasons that lead to the rise of Nazi Germany were the political system and the economy hardship.

2.  The Nazis resolve conflicts between workers and owners by having them compromise on how to sell goods and services which will allow business to pay their workers and pay their expenses and still have a profit.  I believe tghis was an attractive model for the business executive because the Nazis had created a plan that worked for both business and workers because without each other a business will not function.

3.  The phrase "Arbeit Macht Frei" has a significance that "work sets you free" and/or "work liberates".  But any intelligent person know that work sets free only part of someone way of living and that the liberty to do with your hard earning money whatever you pleased.  Total freedom will be be can off ironic because must people work endlessly until their death.

4.  State capitalism is the commercial economic activity of businesses that are controlled and manage by the state.

5.  Anti-Semitism is describe as a term in which it only concentrates in the Jews, and how they are hated.  But what is more ironic regarding this issue is that violent riots launched against Jews were encouraged by government authority.

Max Weber: Politics as a Vocation

   "The will to power, narrowly stated as the need for power or motive for power, is defined more accurately as the ability to overcome resistance in the achievement of values.  The individuals who are able to overcome the most resistance are the Ubermensch or "superman".  The idea that humans are motivated by the need to realize values became the core of Weber's theory of human action, or what motivates human action.  The concept of ubermensch became the foundation of Weber's notion of charismatic domination".

   In this quote it is said that human are driven to succeed in life by having a purpose, and that's to reach their value or goal.  The need to gain power will always have a value which individuals will want to have in their hands.  I choose this quote because its a reality when it comes to humans.  When someone has a purpose in life and for them to achieve their goal they will always encounter a rough path to get to it.  As the saying says "not all that glitters is gold", and all humans will under go trial and error to get to what they want.  Having your price at the end of your journey will be something that anyone will appreciate even more after seeing all the bumps along the road that they had to move out of the way to make it.  "The grass its always greener on the other side" and having succeed in life is ever sweeter when you know you gave it all you had to reach it.

The Weimar Republic

I.  Article 58
     "Reich government decides by majority of votes.  In case of a stalemate the president's (10) vote is decisive"
This article says that to be fair on choosing someone to be part of the government the winner is based on who has the most votes.  In case of a tied the president has the final vote if needed.
I choose this article because a country as a whole, every individual should make their voice be heard on deciding whats best for their country.
II.  Article 117
      "Privacy of correspondence, of mail, telegraphs & telephone are inviolable.  Exceptions are admissible only if based on a Reich Law"
Article is referring to that that any time of privacy stated above are secure from violation of profanation.
The fact that everyone's privacy is protect by law make every citizens for at ease with their personal belongings, unless the law is require to search an individual privacy for investigation purpose.


1.  An advantage of proportional representation is that it can be proportional.  When voting the outcome of the result is based on majority of votes.  An disadvantage is that if the party with the fewer votes can win which its extremely unfair.
2.  The leading cause of the decline of the Weiner Republic was the depression.
3.  Hyperinflation is when a country experiences very high and usually accelerating inflation.  Where inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time.    "source: en.wikipedia.org"
4.  I would judge the Weimar constitution as compared to the American constitution, in the way that they treat everyone equally to set an example for everyone in the country.
                               

The German Revolution 1918-1919

   "The first real "Welfare state" was created in Germany in the 1870s........  It is very interesting that the first welfare state was created basically to control the poor and the working class......  Since Germany had develop one of the first real organized labor movement in the 19th century they were able to put pressure on the political system........  relieve public pressure generated by economic hardship."
   In this passage it is stated that the welfare state organization was created to help those cope with the crisis of the economy after the war.  I choose this passage because it shows how others fought for society to have an organization looking after their best interest and thats to at least have food on their table when the economy was bad.


1.  Luxemburg believe the war of 1871 created a path for the war in 1914, because this cause Europe to split into two separated group in 1870 resulting in chaos which led to the 1914 war.
2.  Regarding the claims made about "Russian despotism" supported by the SPD, Luxemburg reacts to it by not agreeing with it.  Judging it as a threat for the German society.
3.  Nationalism focuses on the pride in ones country and its people.  While capitalism, is a economic system which allows individuals to have business that provides goods and services to others while getting a profit out of it.  To make this system run a bit more smooth government interference is very minimal.  I believe the relation of the two is that since capitalism allows the the creation of businesses as a way to be independent and gain a profit.  Nationalism was created so those under capitalism will have a better business relation without having conflict, which makes it better and easier when trading goods and services.  Nationalism gives everyone the opportunity to be treated equally without permitting no one to think they should have preference because of how wealth they are.
4.  Luxemburg believe that the war supported business interest of steel and the banks because those were two major alliance that will help them with supply (weapon) and capital (money) so that they can succeed in the war.

" M "

     The scene where Hans is being question by the police is very interesting.  By trying to say his motive of killing and by letting police know that he can't control what he does seem to work a bit with the officers.  But that didn't happen.  I choose this scene because Hans as the killer seem to show as if it was okay for him to kill just because of his condition.  But by all means he could have try to get help to resolve his issues.  Many killers tent to always be in denial of what they do, but there could always be light at the end of tunnel even by just trying to get help.


1.  In "Dr. Caligari" the police power just didn't make its presence known.  They show lack of interest in solving the crime at hand.  But in "M" the evolution of the police power did let everyone know that the killer will be caught one way or another and justice will be serve.  Their need to know who committed the crime was visible and because of it, society did their best to help.
2.  Whether the killer deserve to die or not, I believe is a very very sensitive subject.  No one has the right to take someone else life by all means.  But if the decision is one or the other, I guess that the motive of the crime and any evidence involve can help in the decision.    No matter what, killing someone is just not right, its very inhumane.
3.  The criminals ability to organize themselves in the capture of Beckert made a huge effect on the capture because they were thinking with their criminal minds.  Is as if they question themselves "if it was me they were looking for, where would I hide?".
4.  I would judge the depiction of the Nazis as criminals in the way that even though their profile wasn't great they help in the capture anyways.  They knew where to look and what to do since their knowledge in the dark side of society was something that police may have not experience in their own.
5.  The significance of the media in this film is to let society know what could happen or what is happening among their own people.  It could be use as a wake up call to be aware of their surrounding. 

The Blue Angel

     In overall the film was very good.  The scene that I choose was the one where Rath goes to "The Blue Angel" in search for his love Lola and ask her for marriage.  Lola's reaction to this situation is one that can happen in today's society.  Just by Lola's reaction, Rath emotion were crushed.  At that particular moment, Rath could have become blinded with rage and the result might have been devastating.  I choose this scene because we should all be aware and conscious of what we are going to say to others.  Since someones reaction is unknown, its better to be safe than sorry and we should all choose are words carefully when approaching an individual.


1.  I would compare Rath/Lola to Siddhartha/Kamala by looking how different women and    men see life during that period of time.  The women's see life as an amusement park where they just want to have fun.  In contrast, these men's where just falling in love with someone totally different from their persona.
2.  I think Lola is a totally impassive woman.  She wants to do as she pleased without caring if she might hurt someones feeling a long the way.  
3.  The significance of the clown should be view as what the reaction could have been of those persons who entered "The Blue Angel".  It can also have a significance of how society laughs at those individuals who live the easy life in the dark world.
4.  Chaos is thematically represented through out the whole film.  The chaos in "The Blue Angel" by showing those who go to that place in search for some activity out of the normal behavior.  Even in the school there is chaos as the students don't follow rule that they should obey.
5.  The overall meaning of the film by all means is that people need to take a second before putting into action what they are going to say.  The result will have or can have a negative impact for someone.
6.  I believe your comparison was to show that we shouldn't judge a book by its cover.  Those with ugly covers can hold the most valuable information for our life's.  But the one with pretty colorful covers can be the must deceiving ones.   

Expressionism: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

     The movie "The cabinet of Dr. Caligari" is clearly way to different form our times now.  Being the fact that is black & white and that there is no voice, is for anyone of us to turn off the movie and click play to one of our current color movies.  But I do have to say that from time to time is good to see how films started to play a big role in society.
   In the movie, there is a part where Caligari wants to get a permit to operate his conseccion while a fair is in function.  But not being his luck, he's treated very bad and poorly by the clerk official.  His intention to get a permit done was unsuccessful and he was force to leave the place. 
   This part is very important because it's something we can relate to in today's society.  Who would have inagine that such behavior have lived for so many years.  In my opinion, when I  come across a situation like this it makes me ask myself "why people act like this towards others?".  Why there is so many ignorant people out there? why is it so hard to help others when your job description is just that, Help others?.  I believe that most of the times humans tent not to care for others even if their job requires it.  It's very bad behaviour and manners to treat someone else as if they are trash and don't deserve the respect that they should be given.  As of today, there is plenty and plenty of people that are to stock on judging someone by their looks, ethic background, skin color, etc.  But as the old phrase says "don't judge its book by its cover", everyone should take this phrase with them and live with it every day.  Just because he/she works at a certain place "like this clerk" it doesn't give that person the right to choose whether to help someone or not.  Maybe if we try to put ourselves in the other person's shoes and see what their issues or problems they are going thru it could be a lesson to treat each other with respect and equality every day.  But since they see that someone elses problem doesn't affect them, they don't try to care. 

1.  The symbolism of caligary's power over Cesare is presented as Caligary's being a government and Cesare as the people of that country being control by Caligary.
2.  The profit motive affected cultural production in the modern age in the way that it created another form of how to be creative for society & entertained them while getting money as a profit out of it.
3.  I would evaluate the Frankfurst School elitism regarding mass culture as a form of organization that was only interested in making money.  the profit motive was the only primary reason they wanted to obtain, and the artistic integrity of making the product was of no value to them as long as their profit in money was increasing.
4.  (a) how the carnival and film genereated money for the German economy after a bad lost following the war.  (b) The control that Caligari had over Cesare reflects German gosvernment.  (c) Seeing how situation can be either good/bad, and making or creating a better way.
5.  kracauer interprets the film as a choice between tyranny and chaos by showing how much control and power Caligari had over Cesare and seeing all the chaos the carnival created among the public.
6.  There was an increase pressure to develop the German film industry after the first world war because,  the country had experience bad economy after the war.
7.  I don't think the claim that expressionism breeds excessive inwardness and withdrawal.  Everyone has a mind of their own and they can think, believe, and follow what they think its right or wrong.  Sometimes because of the lack of not having an open mind, many people don't allow themselves the opportunity to see someone elses point of view regarding any type of issue.
8.  The film foreshadow the Nazi regime according to Kracauer by showing what the German country is going to become.  "A country control by a commander that will tell everyone what to do".
9.  Praxis is the process by which a theory, lesson, or skill is enacted, practised, embodied, or realised. (Ref. "Widipedia.com").  It relates to cultural criticism because it shows and demonstrates how something new to society can be critizied without given the chance to generated what it can attribute to society.