National Socialist

Many political parties in various contexts have referred to themselves as National Socialist parties. Because there is no clear definition of national socialism, the term has been used to mean very different things. Since the rise of German Nazism, which called itself "National Socialism", the term has been used in Europe and North America almost exclusively by political parties with racial nationalist views. However, in other parts of the world, which had little contact with German Nazism, the term "National Socialism" is sometimes used by parties that define themselves as socialist and patriotic, without being racist. In addition, the term was also used by non-racist groups in Europe before the rise of Nazism.