"Antisemitism is the socialism of fools" (German: "Der Antisemitismus ist der Sozialismus der dummen Kerle") is a statement regarding the idea that Jewish "wealth" and "power" is the source of social injustice.[1] According to British historian Richard Evans, it was probably coined by Austrian left-liberal politician Ferdinand Kronawetter, but is commonly attributed to the German social democrat August Bebel and sometimes to Karl Marx.[2] The phrase was in wide circulation among German social democrats by the 1890s.[3]

In the view of neoconservative philosopher Leo Strauss, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin had considered that, because fools were common, a "socialism of fools" would be a good thing; hence, Strauss argued, Stalin had deliberately cultivated antisemitism.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Wuliger, Michael (1 July 2013). "SPD der dummen Kerls". Jüdische Allgemeine (in German). Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  2. ↑ Friedman, Max Paul (2012). Rethinking Anti-Americanism: The History of an Exceptional Concept in American Foreign Relations. Cambridge University Press. p. 264. ISBN 9780521683425.
  3. ↑ Evans, Richard J. (2005). The Coming of the Third Reich. Penguin. p. 496. ISBN 9781101042670.
  4. ↑ Smith, Steven B. (2007). Reading Leo Strauss: Politics, Philosophy, Judaism. University of Chicago Press. p. 148. ISBN 9780226763897.

Further reading

  • Battini, Michele; Mazhar, Noor; Vergnano, Isabella (2016). Socialism of Fools: Capitalism and Modern Anti-Semitism. Columbia University Press. doi:10.7312/batt17038. ISBN 9780231541329.
  • Lipset, Seymour Martin (1969). "The Socialism of Fools": The Left, the Jews & Israel. Anti-Defamation League.
  • Lerner, Michael (1992). The Socialism of Fools: Anti-Semitism on the Left. Tikkun Books. ISBN 9780935933055.
  • Brustein, William I.; Roberts, Louisa (2015). The Socialism of Fools?: Leftist Origins of Modern Anti-Semitism. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781316368176.
  • Jürgens, Peer (2013). Antisemitismus: Sozialismus des dummen Kerls? Sozialdemokratie und Antisemitismus im Deutschen Kaiserreich (in German). Diplomica Verlag. ISBN 9783842868953.
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