I disagree. While I understand to some extent the idea, I also think these people have agency and choice. I live in Germany, and the discussion “did people under Nazis really have a choice?” is probably one of the most heated topics in the historical discourse. Short answer, yes they had to some degree. You don’t have to cave in before the new overlord, and while we all obviously have to adapt to some extent, we don’t have to praise them.
while we all obviously have to adapt to some extent, we don’t have to praise them
I think this is the key point. There’s a world of difference between reluctantly complying with laws you might not like and going out of your way to publicly praise the regime. He could have stayed quiet. It would have cost him literally nothing to make no comment whatsoever.
I disagree. While I understand to some extent the idea, I also think these people have agency and choice. I live in Germany, and the discussion “did people under Nazis really have a choice?” is probably one of the most heated topics in the historical discourse. Short answer, yes they had to some degree. You don’t have to cave in before the new overlord, and while we all obviously have to adapt to some extent, we don’t have to praise them.
I think this is the key point. There’s a world of difference between reluctantly complying with laws you might not like and going out of your way to publicly praise the regime. He could have stayed quiet. It would have cost him literally nothing to make no comment whatsoever.