A standard definition of the word "fascism" often includes it being a far-right ideology. However, the Nazi (National Socialist German Workers') Party was, by definition, a socialist party, which is a far-left ideology. So my question is, how is it that Hitler is often described using opposing political extremes? People often try to pigeonhole their opponents into fitting in with an unfavorable definition, like "fascist", but I'd like to gain an accurate understanding, partisan politics be damned.
To what extent was the National Socialist German Workers' (Nazi) Party actually socialist?
How socialist was Nazi Germany?
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I am extremely biased in this regard as I am deeply Marxist, but I have long contended that fascism is best defined in the pre-World War II historical sense, when it was still acceptable on the right. Luckily, we still have writings of Gramsci, Trotsky, Orwell, and others from the opposition, and of course Mussolini and Hitler - though I'll note that, in my opinion, among their faults was a tendency towards mendacity. Controversial, I know, but I just don't think that Hitler fellow can be trusted at his word.
I do highly recommend reading a little pamphlet by Trotsky titled Fascism: What It Is and How to Fight It. He diagnosed the cancer of fascism at an early stage, and so his perspective is more clear than that of a writer today whose perspective has been muddied by decades of the term's use as a vague pejorative applied haphazardly to "anyone I disagree with."