Seeking to move beyond existing romantic nationalism, Lange sought to build a wider nationalist ideology on the German political right by marrying anti-Semitism to other economic and social issues.
[2] An early disciple of Paul de Lagarde, Lange was part of the Burschenschaft movement and absorbed the strong strain of German nationalism rife within that tendency.
[1] His idea of "pure Germanism" would marry anti-Semitism to nationalism, glorification of war as an aim of state, territorial expansion, autarchy and the preservation of the traditional Mittelstand through economic reform.
[5] He was strongly critical of the rise of capitalism in Germany, with his 1893 play Der Nachtse exploring anti-capitalist themes and indeed he was known to use the term "national socialism" for his preferred economic vision.
[2] Lange was also critical of the ideas of Ernst Moritz Arndt and Friedrich Ludwig Jahn, describing their reactionary romantic nationalism as "self deceiving" and instead coming out in favour of scientific progress as part of his overall vision.