Antisemitism

Antisemitism consists of opinions and behaviors that oppose Jewry. Jews have often been stereotyped in popular culture, including works such as William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, as clever, sneaky, tightfisted, and so on. Even in the liberty movement, there are some who speak of Zionist conspiracies for world domination, especially through the allegedly Jewish-controlled banking system. To be sure, there are some Jewish banking dynasties, such as the Rothschild family; however, most of those in charge of the banking system are Protestants.

Aside from lingering resentment on the part some Christians concerning Jewish involvement in Jesus Christ' death, it is unclear why Jews have so often been the subject of such animosity. Although Jews have established a Jewish state, Israel, there are many Americans who regard the United States as a Christian nation. Certainly the latter is the more powerful country, and the more globally interventionist. Likewise, although the Holy Bible records many instances of Jews conquering and plundering other countries at God's behest, Christians and Muslims also have a deserved reputation for having historically had a tendency to engage in aggressive holy wars.

Thomas Sowell, in Black Rednecks and White Liberals, notes that Jews are one of many middleman minorities — i.e. minorities that serve as intermediaries between producers and consumers, whether in the role of retailers or money-lenders — that have been persecuted for economic motives. Other examples were Chinese minorities in various Southeast Asian countries, Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, and Ibos in Nigeria. Ludwig von Mises wrote, "The Nazis have an ally in every town or village where there is a man eager to get rid of a Jewish competitor. The secret weapon of Hitler is the anti‑Jewish inclinations of many millions of shopkeepers and grocers, of doctors and lawyers, professors and writers."

Compared to Christians, over the past two millennia Jews generally have not felt a great need to proselytize (although this has been described as "at least as much a function of historical circumstance as theological commitment"); indeed, it is relatively difficult to join the Jewish community. The perception of Judaism as being somewhat exclusive may partly account for the suspicion attached to it, much as people are also suspicious of Masonic and other secret societies. This is probably heightened by the fact that, as with the Masons, many Jews have become wealthy and powerful.