When we envision racism, many processes come to mind: impoverishment; underrepresentation in government; theft of land and resources; mass incarceration. These are all insidious methods of oppression enforced by the settler-colonial, white supremacist system that characterizes the modern-day U.S. But looking at racism solely through this lens can make it difficult to see current anti-Jewish racism because American antisemitism looks very different from other types of racism. However, understanding antisemitism is a crucial step to dismantling the oppressive systems that seem so prevalent today.
Throughout history, and especially in recent times, antisemitism has allowed a minority of Jews to succeed in society. In the Middle Ages, the ruling class sometimes allowed Jews to enter feudal market systems as merchants or bankers — jobs that put these Jews in direct contact with impoverished, often disgruntled peasants. Some Jews were even made public advisors to kings or lords. Of course, Jews always represented a small minority in these fields, but they still were made an intentionally visible presence in the halls of power.
However, the purpose of having Jews in these institutions was always to create a Jewish veneer of power so that impoverished masses would blame Jews instead of unequal economic and political systems for their problems. During times of economic hardship, monarchs allowed angry mobs to attack Jewish neighborhoods to let off steam because Jews were believed to be causing economic hardship by manipulating the banking system. When anti-monarchist sentiment would grow, the Jew would be blamed and then killed by angry mobs. The purpose was always to protect the unequal feudal, monarchist systems by scapegoating Jews. This form of antisemitism thrived off of the visible success of a few Jews as well as off of conspiracy theories (which are still prevalent today) that blame Jews for controlling the world.
Like feudalism, capitalism is a vastly unequal economic system that allows a small ruling class to exploit a larger working class; three million Americans have more wealth than 291 million Americans combined. Additionally, nearly 40 million Americans live below the poverty line despite living in the richest country on Earth. But in order to quell feelings of discontent, blame is placed onto Jews instead of capitalism. The problem, according to antisemites, isn’t that private profit is prioritized above human needs, but that a couple of bankers with Jewish last names are running the world. This ultimately serves the interests of the ruling capitalist class.
It is worth mentioning that this antisemitism does not tend to materialize as discrimination in university admissions, financial advancement or police brutality. However, Jews are still regularly harassed and subjected to violent assaults. Just like in the Middle Ages, Jews are used as a target to sap anti-establishment anger originating from legitimate grievances — a systemic, societal problem.
In my last column, I wrote that Jewish liberation will only come when as Jews, we stand against all forms of oppression and realize that any safety built on colonialism or violence is an illegitimate facade. This idea is especially pertinent with regard to class oppression because the most visceral examples of anti-Jewish oppression can directly trace their roots back to unequal economic systems. Of course, ending capitalist class oppression will not end antisemitism itself, as undercurrents of antisemitic culture run deeply throughout Western society and have little to do with class oppression. This antisemitism will require centuries of work to dismantle. But any movement for Jewish liberation must be anti-capitalist, because capitalism, like feudalism, promotes antisemitism through its need to justify unequal class relations.
