Author: Hannah Arendt

Publisher:

Published: 1951

Total Pages: 506

ISBN-13:

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Pt. 1 (p. 1-120), "Antisemitism", focuses on antisemitism in Western Europe in the late 19th-early 20th century, dismissing views that antisemitism was an outgrowth of nationalism. The conspicuous rise of antisemitism in the late 19th century coincided with the decay of the nation state and with the rise of totalitarian society - in particular, with the development of racism and Nazism rather than nationalism. The nation state of the 17th-18th centuries supported the presence of Jews as a group because it needed their specific economic and social functions. Modern antisemitism began with the rise of the bourgeoisie class, which brought about the decay of the nation state, and with the parallel decay of traditional Judaism. Forces that opposed this state saw the Jews as representing its epitome, thus Jewry, disintegrating and increasingly weak, became their target. Devoid of the state's support and of their former influence, unnecessary as a social class, but retaining their wealth, the Jews were an ideal target of hatred. Accuses Western Jewry of political blindness, and of the lack of unity; the hatred of privileged Jews toward their unprivileged fellow-Jews was no less strong than the anti-Jewish sentiments of antisemites. Argues that some of the Jews, fascinated with reactionary ideas and racism, like Disraeli, also bear responsibility for the rise of Nazism. Dwells on the Dreyfus Affair, which paved the way for French fascism and the Pétain regime.

Download or read book The Origins of Totalitarianism written by Hannah Arendt and published by . This book was released on 1951 with total page 506 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pt. 1 (p. 1-120), "Antisemitism", focuses on antisemitism in Western Europe in the late 19th-early 20th century, dismissing views that antisemitism was an outgrowth of nationalism. The conspicuous rise of antisemitism in the late 19th century coincided with the decay of the nation state and with the rise of totalitarian society - in particular, with the development of racism and Nazism rather than nationalism. The nation state of the 17th-18th centuries supported the presence of Jews as a group because it needed their specific economic and social functions. Modern antisemitism began with the rise of the bourgeoisie class, which brought about the decay of the nation state, and with the parallel decay of traditional Judaism. Forces that opposed this state saw the Jews as representing its epitome, thus Jewry, disintegrating and increasingly weak, became their target. Devoid of the state's support and of their former influence, unnecessary as a social class, but retaining their wealth, the Jews were an ideal target of hatred. Accuses Western Jewry of political blindness, and of the lack of unity; the hatred of privileged Jews toward their unprivileged fellow-Jews was no less strong than the anti-Jewish sentiments of antisemites. Argues that some of the Jews, fascinated with reactionary ideas and racism, like Disraeli, also bear responsibility for the rise of Nazism. Dwells on the Dreyfus Affair, which paved the way for French fascism and the Pétain regime.