No, across history and geography people are caught doing "unexplainable" things--and I use this word because I don't want to sound offensive--time and again.
Here are a few examples:
- The expulsion of the English from Havana in the 18th century
- The European inquisitions, and while we are at it, some elements of faith in general.
- Hitler's fascism (Hitler was elected)
- Fidel Castro's Cuba
- North Korea
- Italy's demographic problem
- Japan's demographic problem
... and so on. In all cases, you need the cold clarity of hindsight and a lot of detachment to see that people were acting foolishly. But during the time when the events are ensuing, stoked passions and outright manipulation prevent people from acting rationally. It's not like people act irrationally because they want to. It's simply too difficult to accept the right information, since each argument opposed to one's own beliefs is interpreted as a move from the enemy group.
He wasn't elected. By the time he became chancellor his party was losing ground and couldn't form the government. Under pressure of the rich Hitler was appointed chancellor (not elected) because communists/socialists/unionists were bad for business and they were gaining ground.
It's true that the NSDA lost 4% between the July and November 1932 elections, but they were still the strongest party by a clear margin. Hitler was appointed chancellor under a minority government because he could not find a coalition with a majority in the Reichstag. In this sense, he was indeed "elected". You are right in the sense that other parties provided the necessary 2/3 majority to pass the Enabling Act of March 14, 1933 which eventually gave him absolute power.
Side note: in a way Trump has it much easier because he can already govern with executive orders without requiring a 2/3 majority from the Congress...
Here are a few examples:
- The expulsion of the English from Havana in the 18th century
- The European inquisitions, and while we are at it, some elements of faith in general.
- Hitler's fascism (Hitler was elected)
- Fidel Castro's Cuba
- North Korea
- Italy's demographic problem
- Japan's demographic problem
... and so on. In all cases, you need the cold clarity of hindsight and a lot of detachment to see that people were acting foolishly. But during the time when the events are ensuing, stoked passions and outright manipulation prevent people from acting rationally. It's not like people act irrationally because they want to. It's simply too difficult to accept the right information, since each argument opposed to one's own beliefs is interpreted as a move from the enemy group.
This is the world we live in.