The Wages of Destruction provides a compelling, well-researched analysis of Nazi Germany’s rise and fall through the lens of (neoclassical) economic history. The book primarily focuses on Germany’s struggle for hegemony, particularly its competition with the United States, and frames the Nazi leadership’s decisions as instrumentally rational. However, the book has some significant shortcomings, as discussed in Dylan Riley’s review in Historical Materialism. Coming from a Marxist perspective, Riley identifies three major flaws: 1. The book disregards the role of the German bourgeoisie in shaping Nazi imperialist ambitions, most notably omitting the Junkers’ influence. 2. Its argument for Germany’s economic “backwardness” compared to other great powers is weak, portraying it as a “middle-income country” without sufficient evidence. 3. It overemphasizes “anti-Semitic anti-Westernism” as a primary motivator against the United States and its allies, underplaying the Third Reich’s anti-Soviet sentiment and desire for Lebensraum in Eastern Europe. While Tooze provides a broadly materialist account, his analysis leans decidedly more Weberian than Marxist. Nonetheless, The Wages of Destruction is a valuable work, and its many strengths justify its positive reception, even if the criticisms raised by Riley warrant consideration.

The Wages of Destruction provides a compelling, well-researched analysis of Nazi Germany’s rise and fall through the lens of (neoclassical) economic history. The book primarily focuses on Germany’s struggle for hegemony, particularly its competition with the United States, and frames the Nazi leadership’s decisions as instrumentally rational. However, the book has some significant shortcomings, as discussed in Dylan Riley’s review in Historical Materialism. Coming from a Marxist perspective, Riley identifies three major flaws: 1. The book disregards the role of the German bourgeoisie in shaping Nazi imperialist ambitions, most notably omitting the Junkers’ influence. 2. Its argument for Germany’s economic “backwardness” compared to other great powers is weak, portraying it as a “middle-income country” without sufficient evidence. 3. It overemphasizes “anti-Semitic anti-Westernism” as a primary motivator against the United States and its allies, underplaying the Third Reich’s anti-Soviet sentiment and desire for Lebensraum in Eastern Europe. While Tooze provides a broadly materialist account, his analysis leans decidedly more Weberian than Marxist. Nonetheless, The Wages of Destruction is a valuable work, and its many strengths justify its positive reception, even if the criticisms raised by Riley warrant consideration.