Boston, Massachusetts, US
Posts: 7
By saying that history “rhymes,” psychoanalyst Theodor Reik distinguishes between inaction and action. The saying “history repeats itself” suggests that horrible events will perpetually occur with no end in sight. On the other hand, Reik’s adaptation to say history “rhymes,” creates a sense of responsibility: horrible events seem to occur dependent on similar conditions, and with the proper approach to these horrible events (such as strengthening international law, increasing humanitarian aid) the rhyme can end. Eventually, we’ll run out of rhymes. I like Reik’s approach to reflecting on global atrocities. While the Armenian genocide and the genocide against Jewish people in the 1940s did not unfold in the same exact way and did not include all of the same events, they are both rightfully labeled as genocides. Despite their differences, both events deserve a strong response by writers of international law and advocates. In the same way, the genocide under Khmer Rouge and the displacement of Palestinians during the Nakba deserve a humanitarian and legal response.
I do think there are similarities between the Weimar Republic and the current US government, but it’s important to note the circumstances of these two governments. Whereas the Weimar Republic was born hurriedly out of war, the current US administration is born from the “war” between two parties representing increasing political polarization. Both arose from fear. During the Depression, Hitler pinned the general public’s feelings of panic, confusion, and hatred on minorities. Very similarly, President Trump has blamed minority communities (queer people, immigrants, women, trans people) for egregious actions to distract the general public from vital issues like the economy and foreign relations. In both governments, privilege and power are weaponized to hurt the very communities they were put in power to serve. Additionally, Trump’s promises of running for a third term mirror the behaviors of an authoritarian leader, such as Hitler. I differ from Time magazine author Christine Adams when she wrote in her 2024 article “Why People Should Stop Comparing the U.S. to Weimar Germany” that the US’ dedication to problem-solving separates the government from Weimar’s inaction. Adams says whereas Weimar was unable to avoid authoritarianism because of “political infighting,” US politicians are “united in their efforts to prevent that shift.” I don’t think the latter statement is true. President Trump’s governance resembles shifts to authoritarianism, as stated before, and instead of getting pushback from Democrats and Republicans alike, the Senate and House are full of ‘yes-men.’ The Congresspeople will follow Trump’s often unconstitutional, cruel, and unusual commands as long as they benefit from trips to Mar-a-Lago, PAC donations, and confirmation that their bills will pass. For this reason, I disagree with Adam’s statement, and believe the current corruption within the US government signals a shift closer to authoritarianism.
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Posts: 7
History does in fact rhyme with the present day. Many people claim history repeats itself, but I don’t believe that to be the case. I believe that it is important to consider the nature of society now, compared to the past. Modern life, the advancements in technology, and differences in global exchange, makes our lives drastically different from those of the past. Although some modern events may have drastic similarities to the past, they can never truly be the same solely due to the changing circumstances of the world. That being said, I believe the idea that history rhymes. The Weimar Republic has a strong resemblance to modern day America. It shows how weak democracy can become through social distrust and economic collapse. That being said, it is important to consider that American democracy differs from the Weimar republic at a structural level and the United States is not on the back of a World War during their side of this rhyme.
During the Weimar years, as mentioned in my visual essay, Germans faced unprecedented levels of inflation and mass unemployment after World War l. Many citizens grew to distrust the democratic system, viewing it as too chaotic and ineffective, after they were let down by it. As noted in Max’s visual essay, the hyperinflation crisis symbolized a bigger loss of stability, as individuals were paying 50,000 for some bread, a daily reminder of the failing political standing. This despair created the pathway for Adolf Hitler to seize power and offer emotional certainty to the citizens of Germany. In the United States, the trust in the democratic government has weakened due to the growing economic gap, and the spread of misinformation at all levels. Officials give out promises to citizens to escape their struggles, yet they lack fulfillment for these promises. The rise of Trump is very similar to the rise of Hitler in this nature. The modern day usage of social media to push certain narratives closely resembles the Weimar usage of propaganda. By engraining a false sense of hope in individuals, they gain support without having to truly fulfill their promises.
It is important to acknowledge those who claim that history is repeating itself, but their claims need to be taken with a grain of salt. Unlike the Weimar Republic, modern American democracy has stronger institutions and broader civil protections, helping to resist total collapse like Weimar. I believe that we need to take these warnings not as a prediction of facism returning, but rather a recognition of the death of democracy as individuals give up on it. History does not truly repeat itself, but it does in fact rhyme. These rhymes remind us that democracy can only survive if we fight for its resilience, not just abandoning it at the first sign of crisis.
Charlestown, Massachusetts, US
Posts: 5
I do believe that history does in fact rhyme. This saying can mean a lot of things but I think it means something along the lines of that history repeats itself in many instances. Examples of this include genocides or wars which start from primarily the same motive or reason. Many people believe that the era of Weimar Germany shares certain similarities with societies such as the United States. Although they are not identical, the social as well as political tensions of the Weimar Republic can heavily reflect on conflicts today.
The Weimar Republic was a period of instability in Germany. After World War I the country faced humiliation after the Treaty of Versailles. This caused inflation, unemployment, and people started to lose faith in German democracy. This relates to present day events because of all that is happening in the government. Events are causing many to lose faith in our democracy, causing people to not want to vote or leave the country all together. Another significant similarity could be propaganda and media. Back in times of the Weimar Republic, radios and films were used to spread political ideas. Today, social media spreads similar ideas by people spreading theories through videos or messages. This connection shows how technological advancements over time can cause disruptions in communication. Because of this, larger conflicts could start up which causes unnecessary disruption of a country or region.
There are also clear differences. Modern America is way more healthier and stable than Weimar Germany was. Being able to learn through history we are able to figure this out. People compare today’s society to Weimar Germany because they see the connections between government and democratic hardships. Even though history may not be “repeating itself” the rhyme of history can be a warning that if a democracy rejects people’s trust towards it, it can fail like the past. Similar motives are able to easily start a new war, leading to bigger conflicts that could have been easily prevented if people took a minute to realize that history has happened and the only way for it to not happen again is to notice the rhyme and reason from it.
I believe that events from the past do infact rhyme with present day events. It is clear that the Weimar Republic was a period of extreme political chaos and economic turmoil in Germany, and certain aspects of that society can be seen in the present as well. However, that is the extent of the similarities. I do not believe that merely because America shares some similarities with certain parts of the Weimar Republic, we are doomed to repeat their mistakes. According to the article Weimar America there are some similarities that present day America has with post war Germany. A charasimatic and contraversial leader, economic challenges, and political challenges. However, the extent to which these problems affect our present society is far less than how bad they affected the Weimar Republic. For instance, tariffs and inflation have affected our economy and resulted in a drastic fall in stocks, however, the complete chaos in Germany’s economy after the war was far worse. They had immense debt and lacked the natural resources and land to maintain their industrialized nation. They were ruined as a nation, which is far different than the state America is in now. As said in the article “yes, Weimar Germany ended badly, horribly so. But the America of today bears little similarity to Germany in the 1920s and early 1930s”. Furthermore, many of the aspects seen in Weimar Germany werent unique circumstances. Many nations face economic hardships, many nations have periods of political turmoil, many nations have devisive leaders. The severity of America’s problems are far less extreme than the Weimar Republic’s which is why I believe that while history can rhyme, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it will repeat. I highly doubt that people in the present will ignore the mistakes of the past and participate in a genocide against the jewish population. I believe that people learn from the mistakes of the past which influences their actions and results in new outcomes. While antisemitism is on the rise, it is doubtful another Hitler will emerge, and extremely unlikely for a Nazi party to take control. All together, there are some similarities with the Weimar Republic and the present day America, however that does not mean that we are bound to repeat their same mistakes.
West Roxbury, MA, US
Posts: 7
I believe that history does in fact rhyme. Many people have before said that those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it and we have seen many things like this before. Throughout history we have seen similar circumstances brought on by similar issues all over the world. In Weimar we were witness to a failing government system, political chaos, economic uncertainty, and discrimination. This build up of bad factors resulted in a failing society which latched onto dangerous ideology, ultimately leading to the full on collapse of democracy in 1933. Events from the past always have faint similarities to the present events going on in our lives even if they aren’t exactly the same, with similar wars being fought constantly along with similar government policies and events. There are some faint similarities many talk about when comparing present day USA to Weimar Germany and those main ones are: economic uncertainty, discrimination, and political divide and chaos. People like to make the comparison with our current president to Hitler as well because he is one who is very charismatic and can swoop people up towards his side which has clearly worked because he has many devout followers who are both regular people and politicians. These comparisons also stem from Trump’s tendency to lie about many things both in and out of the government. There is also a strong political divide in the USA much like how there was in Weimar Germany where people are unable to see the other side of the political spectrum and it can end up creating huge divides even among friends and family. Along with these comparisons there is economic uncertainty in the air although not as bad as it was in Weimar Germany. Right now prices are rising in the United States and it is becoming harder for many to stay afloat which was also the truth in Weimar although significantly worse. I feel that there is definitely some correlation between the present day United States and Weimar Republic I do not think that these correlations are as bad as many make it out to seem as we are still a country that is thriving on top.
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Posts: 7
Originally posted by
asky on November 11, 2025 17:54
Call it pedantry, but I would like to point out that “history repeats itself” nigh always refers to human history, as opposed to that of any other species or process. And if we limit our scope to human history, I do believe this is true: there are certain aspects of human nature that lend themselves to repetition. Perhaps the greatest is a hope for stability: a stable income, social life, and living situation, for example, have easily been among those things most cherished by people the world over, no matter time, geography, nor culture. And while some seek the thrill of adventure, even these do not underestimate the value of a safety net: a place, even a people, to fall back upon when the going gets tough is a gift, not a hindrance. Therefore, it becomes obvious that a quest comfort is always in motion—but such may be argued of all species. How, then, does a desire for stability uphold human history as uniquely cyclic?
I would posit that human notions of ‘comfort’ tend to be more extravagant than those of all other species. Whereas a squirrel is (imaginably) content in its tree-den, perhaps with some acorns to stay its hunger, a person seeks a variable diet, or a colorful wardrobe, or holds fast to some memento, or looks to collect a quarter from each U.S. state. Now, one may assert that we have crossed some line between ‘comfort’ and ‘stability,’ but that is exactly the point—where humanity is concerned, these two words have often coincided, thus elevating what ‘comfort’ means to people above what it means to members of other species. Thus, paying mind to such raised standards, it (perhaps) becomes intuitive that humans would face conflicts of interest more than any other species on Earth: the more extravagant a standard for ‘comfort,’ the more likely it is to encroach upon another’s comfort or standard for comfort. Overall, it is the ubiquity of these ‘conflicts of interest’ that largely explain human history’s tendency to rhyme or repeat.
Rhymes between the Weimar Republic and our present day are many, with a throughline being that people have always sought out stability. Just as extremist groups at once arose in the republic, “as many were turning away from the government system of the Weimar Republic [to seek] hope and stability in other political groups” (S.M.), United States politics have likewise become increasingly polarized, with people on both ends of the traditional political spectrum seeking ‘hope of stability’ from their respective sides. Moreover, just as antisemitism grew in Weimar Germany after “much of German society had designated Jewish people as being responsible for their ills,” (K.D.) the U.S. has, undoubtedly and likewise, witnessed its own scores of racist communities blame people of color for any number of issues.
I think your perspective on human’s concerns over stability and comfort is very interesting. It helps put into perspective the cyclical behavior of humans in really any aspect of life. I think this comparison could help people who don’t see how the history of violence repeats, see how basic human behavior repeats in another light and compare the two.
We reached the same conclusion about parallels between Weimar Germany and the current US government. We both agree that parallels exist in the rampant racism and targeting of minority communities, as well as in the political polarization of both nations in their respective time periods. To further our thinking, I’d like to ask, do you think the US—given its parallels to Weimar—will reach a state of authoritarianism, and if so, totalitarianism even?
Today in AP CoGo I learned about the term “postmaterialism,” an ideology that states that most citizens in a wealthy society are concerned more with quality of life (human, civil, women’s rights, as well as individual comfort) than economic issues. Since both your points discussed stability, do you think the US has reached this theoretical stage in our development and has that hindered our ability to realistically see the breadth of issues (especially economic) that could lead to an American authoritarian state?
Boston, Massachusetts , US
Posts: 7
Peer Response
The most compelling idea in your post is the connection you draw between the instability of the Weimar Republic and modern political divisions in the United States. I agree with your argument that societal instability and polarization create a foundation for authoritarianism to rise. Your comparison between Weimar’s fractured political environment and today’s partisan climate feels especially relevant, and it’s interesting how you extend that idea globally rather than keeping it limited to the U.S. I also think your use of the quote from Dickey strengthens your point by highlighting how fragile democracies can be when recovering from your crisis, something that parallels America’s struggle post-COVID.
One idea that relates to your post is how several classmates discussed cycles of human behavior throughout history. Your idea that history “rhymes” rather than repeats directly connects to those discussions, showing that the themes of power, violence, and instability tend to recur in different forms.
I found your perspective very thoughtful, and I share your concern about growing political perspective very thoughtful and I share your concern about growing political extremism among younger generations. My views differ slightly in that I think social media intensifies these divisions more than ideology itself. For improvement, you could clarify or fact-check a few examples and focus on organization. Breaking your post into small paragraphs could make it easier to follow. Overall, this was such a strong and insightful analysis.
Peer
Boston , Massachusetts, US
Posts: 7
Originally posted by
seltzersareawesome on November 12, 2025 19:43
Theodor Reik’s belief that history rhymes rather than repeats itself captures the fundamental truth that while the people and context change the patterns of political and social collapse still continue to occur. Full repetition isn’t possible but the core human behaviors like looking for scapegoats remain constant. History offers archetypal narratives that we have to recognize.
The failure of the Weimar Republic offers connections to present day political environments globally. For example how national disillusionment was weaponized. The political right refused to accept the defeat in World War I and spread the myth that they were stabbed in the back. Democratic leaders were falsely blamed for the defeat after promising that it would be a ton of easy victories. It connects to now with the aggressive attacks on the legitimacy of democratic processes which fuels a permanent sense of grievance among the citizens.
There was also economic trauma which fueled radicalization. As I also said in my visual essay the hyperinflation and mass unemployment shattered people's savings and wages and created a feeling of a world turned upside down.The instability desperately created a need for a target. Even though today there isn't hyperinflation the failure of elites to address issues of rapid economic shifts and wealth inequality could create a similar fertile ground for radicalization.
The most noticeable similarities to now is the rise of ideologically justified dehumanization. The Germans' need for blame was aimed towards the Jewish people who were a minority who made less than one percent which made antisemitism acceptable to everyone. The prejudice was justified with ideas like eugenics which claimed that certain lives were useless with no benefit or purpose. The present day rhyme is the hateful agenda that defines racial or political opponents not only as wrong but a threat to the nation. This type of political demonization is similar to antisemitism in the Weimar era. Both would isolate a group and define them as alien and dangerous to the nation’s fitness.
The outcome of 1933 is not inevitable but combining economic anxiety, dehumanization of a minority and national humiliation is a dangerous rhyme we have to avoid.
The most compelling idea of this response is that while the context of a situation or event can change and the people involved can change, there are rhymes of scapegoats and political and social collapse throughout history. I agree with this opinion as often leaders blame a person or certain group of people to unite the nation through hate. This peer used the example of hyperinflation during the Weimar republic to convey this idea which was a great example as it provided well thorough reasoning as to why the Germans turned and blamed the Jews. When dealing with economic turmoil and trauma unemployment numbers continued to rise. I also discussed an idea similar to this in both my visual essay and LTQ. It is important to recognize how leaders turn people against a certain group in rough times so that this is not repeated in the future. Today politicians continue to blame certain people for things they have done knowing that they are reaching a certain audience and gaining more support. These patterns in history could be avoided if we discuss and examine events when they occurred so we know not to fall for the traps these leaders set. Overall this peer's response was well written and incorporated interesting ideas used throughout the unit.
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Posts: 7
Originally posted by
user0702 on November 11, 2025 15:16
I believe that history does in fact rhyme as there have been so many similarities from past events to present events. Although there may be no events that have happened that will exactly mirror another there are certainly similarities. War has almost always been a constant and so has conflict within society. People have also been discontent with their government which has only ever led to violence and corruption. As seen within the Weimar republic, the broken society that filled it only fed its dysfunction and ultimate demise. The members of the republic were so broken from the war and this feeling of hurt was only intensified by the Republic’s policies. This was the first world war meaning that there were multiple countries who were in weak political states and facing the same internal problems that led them to the war. The nature of the war had become so brutal that they were forced into a war of attrition. All of the countries who participated in the war became desperate meaning that although their internal problems may have not been identical, they all had serious enough problems that led them into a war of attrition.
There are also aspects of the Weimar Republic that mirror present day America. They may not be to the extent to which they were in the early 1900s; they still show similarities. People are widely upset with the government and how it is being run across the country. The political divide has only strengthened and become more intense. There is not a single policy that has been enacted in the government that everyone, despite their political side, can agree on. Within German society people felt that the elitist members of the country were taking advantage and simply living off of the hard work of the working class. Similarly in the United States today, people feel that the inflation and instability of the economy is leading to uncertainty and unrest across the country. People will also be unhappy with certain aspects of the government and how these will lead to in extreme cases, war and rebellion, or even the rise of facism. Although it is unlikely that the United States will experience the rise of a fascist party as they did in Germany, the issues that the societies faced both caused significant problems. Governments will always experience divide and conflict, however the outcome of those conflicts are what make each society different.
I definitely agree with this person’s ideas concerning if there are similarities or not. I think that there are definitely fundamental similarities, even if there are of course a lot of differences between Weimar Germany and present America. I think there will always be differences as humans and civilization evolve, but there is definitely some sort of rhyme. There is definitely a lot of similarities concerning the public distrust with the government, and the instability in the economy, that I think this person did a good job mentioning. I also agree with what they said at the end, and that it is unlikely that America becomes that sort of fascist government, but I do agree that the roots of what is happening can definitely cause problems. I think that it is important to see the similarities to a time thought so poorly upon, and reflect upon what those similarities in our current society say about it and where we could be headed as a nation. I think that these patterns seen in Weimar Germany have been seen in the past many times before, can be seen in the present all over the world, and will continue to be seen well into the future.
