Antisemitism is the socialism of fools

"Antisemitism is the socialism of fools" (German: "Der Antisemitismus ist der Sozialismus der dummen Kerle") is a phrase denouncing the notion that Jewish "wealth" or "power" is the root of social injustice.^[1] According to British historian Richard Evans, the phrase was likely coined by Austrian left-liberal politician Ferdinand Kronawetter, but is often attributed to German social democrat August Bebel and occasionally to Karl Marx.^[2] By the 1890s, the expression was widely used among German social democrats.^[3]

Neoconservative philosopher Leo Strauss argued that Soviet leader Joseph Stalin may have believed that, because fools were numerous, a "socialism of fools" would be advantageous. Strauss suggested that Stalin deliberately fostered antisemitism for this reason.^[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.