What was the Nazi agenda?

Fascism (what today’s neo-Nazi groups aim to build) was a mass movement, mainly based on the middle classes. It aimed at smashing democratic rights, particularly working class organisations, and protecting the power of big business. Fascist regimes came to power in Italy in 1922, in Germany in 1933 and in other European countries afterwards. They built up support by a combination of radical (left-wing sounding) rhetoric and playing on prejudices that were already widespread in society. In Germany anti-Jewish (anti-Semitic) prejudice was high before the Nazi Party ever came on the scene, whereas in Italy it wasn’t nearly so strong. Mussolini and his Fascist Party in Italy therefore didn’t use anti-Semitism until very late, when they were relying on Hitler for support during the second world war. In contrast Hitler and the Nazis in Germany consciously promoted anti-Semitism from the beginning, with tragic consequences.