Translator: Davood Salehan
Source: rasekhoon.net





 

“Werner Sombart” (1863-1941), a prominent German economist and sociologist and senior lecturer at the University of Berlin, is one of the most significant European scholars who have specialized in the phenomenon of Jewish plutocracy.
Sombart, who was belonged to a prosperous landowner family, in his youth, he converted to Marxism and when the third volume of Marx's Capital was published for the first time (1894); he wrote a description of it, which was praised by Engels. Two years later, Sombart wrote the book of “Socialism and social movement” that reached the tenth edition and was translated into 24 languages. Tenth edition of this book (1924) had two volumes and approximately one thousand pages. At this time, Sombart had non-Marxist tendencies and therefor the Marxist views did not last in the above revision.
Sombart was not belonged to a particular ideology of thought. He was an independent analyst who revised and rewrote his ideas over and over again. Sombart is in the first place among all Germany's economic scholars by circulation of his books and their translations into various languages. In addition to the above book, his most important books are as follow: Modern Capitalism (1903), Jews and economic life (1911), luxury and Capitalism (1913), the essence of capitalism; a research on the history and psychology of modern traders (1915).
Sombart and Max Weber were personal friends and they published the journal of “Archive” which was one of the poles of thought in Germany. In the time, a writing detailed controversy was commenced between them over the role of Jews and Puritans in the emergence of a modern civilization in the West. Sombart considered Jews’ role in this process remarkable but Weber's emphasis was on Puritans’ position. The outcome of this debate was two celebrated books: “The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism” of Max Weber, drafted in the years of 1904-1905 and “Jews and economic life” of Sombart. In fact, Sombart book was a refutation of the ideas of Weber. Max Weber responded to criticism of Sombart in his book published in 1920 and in his later book, “The sociology of religion and general economic history”, criticized Sombart’s theories. Sombart's book is a classic oeuvre translated in different languages, reached several editions and it even has sparked numerous debates. In 1913, this book was translated into English titled “Jews and modern capitalism” and it was known by this name.
Sombart believed that Judaism is one of several factors created modern capitalism not only factor. According to him, some of these factors include “Discovery of America and its silver mines”, “Ethnic features of European nations and their developments”, and “Technical innovations and inventions”. According to Sombart, capitalism could not have been realized without any of these factors, as well as Jews; capitalism requires the combination of these material and spiritual factors for its generation. He writes in the introduction of his book:

“In a specialized study such as this book, Jews’ influence might be appeared more than what was in practice. This is an inherent matter in such studies that it is viewed to the phenomenon only from one prospective. If we investigated the impact of technical innovation in modern economic life, it would be same. In a monograph, the impression of a subject seems more than its actual position ... Without any doubt; a thousand and one factors helped emerge the economic system of our time. Without discovery of America and its silver mines, without mechanical innovations of technical science, without ethnic peculiarities of new nations in Europe and their developments, the emergence of modern capitalism was as impossible as without Jews. In the long history of [the emergence of] capitalism, the influence of Jews is [only] a season.


Sombart believes that Jews are an ancient people who have rooted like as Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians and Phoenicians in the Middle East, but with a difference that Jews preserved their original ethnic features because of their group cohesion through the inter-marriage. Sombart considers the impact of foreign nations in the ethnic mix of the Jews slight and he ascribes Khazars’ issue insignificant. According to him, anthropological characteristics of the Jews whether physical, mental or cultural traits have remained unchanged in times from the long past to the present. Sombart’s reason for the sequence and continuity of the Jewish race is comparison between “contemporary Jews’ characteristics” and their predecessors in the past; these changeless characteristics suggest that “racial purity” of the Jews have been maintained. According to Sombart, stubbornness, willpower and tremendous strength in flexibility are some of these features. The desire to migration and displacement of populations and establishment of international commercial centers through the immigration are all major psychological features of this people. According to Sombart, “the idea of exile is the central importance of Jewish ideology”. Sombart does not accept the forced “exile” and he writes that the initial migration from Palestine was largely voluntary. According to Sombart, nomadism and tend to migrate have laid in the nature of cultural psychology of the Jewish people. These features of Jews create an entire unique ethnic psychology. Sombart presents a detailed discussion on this issue and concludes as follows: “Note to the pictures of Jews in ancient motifs, and then you will be convinced that Jews’ faces have changed a bit during nearly three thousand years”.
Sombart believes that the most important factor in maintaining of these characteristics is the ethnic-religious nature of the Jews. According to Sombart, the Jews are “the most religious” human society. This religious adherence has granted to them a unique communal cohesion and it has made their internal structure and hierarchy firm and perdurable. “Ethnic nature” was the key factor to maintain “the racial purity” of the Jews in this extended period.
“Jews have a passionate love to perform religious rites and read Talmud. According to their religious education, success in achieving the mundane wealth means that a person is acceptable to God. And it is a Jewish task to acquire the mundane and material wealth and spend it on his religion’s demand.Sombart writes:

“In a specialized study such as this book, Jews’ influence might be appeared more than what was in practice. This is an inherent matter in such studies that it is viewed to the phenomenon only from one prospective. If we investigated the impact of technical innovation in modern economic life, it would be same. In a monograph, the impression of a subject seems more than its actual position ... Without any doubt; a thousand and one factors helped emerge the economic system of our time. Without discovery of America and its silver mines, without mechanical innovations of technical science, without ethnic peculiarities of new nations in Europe and their developments, the emergence of modern capitalism was as impossible as without Jews. In the long history of [the emergence of] capitalism, the influence of Jews is [only] a season.


Among the Jews, the wealthiest ones are often who know about Talmudic issues more than others. Isn’t there the knowledge of Talmud among them a highway to glory, wealth and success? The most Jewish sapient scholars are the most brilliant investors, doctors, jewelers and traders. ***
For instance, he refers to the court Jews of Christian Spain and Amschel Rothschild (the eldest son of Mayer Amschel Rothschild, founder of Rothschild's family) in the contemporary time. Baron Mayer Amschel Rothschild of Frankfurt strictly lived according to Jewish religious traditions, and he never ate even a morsel of food on the table of “gentiles” (non-Jews) yet he was the Prussian Emperor. This Jewish Baron was well-known as “the most sapient” Jew of Frankfurt in his lifetime and eventually he as like worshiped until he was severely emaciated and sick. He was not exceptional among Rothschild’s family. Karl Wilhelm had also such a life. He is the last Rothschild of Frankfurt branch; he died in 1901 and he was contemporary with Sombart. This “sapient” Jew never touched a paper taken by “gentiles” and he only touched completely new banknotes.
Sombart believes that separation of Jews from the nations whom live among them caused by their “chosen sense” and he writes: They separately live from their host communities because they feel a superior sense than others and they know themselves as “the chosen people”. Their hatred sense to others was indicated from Roman times. Jewish laws include two kinds: one part of the laws set the relationship of a Jewish person with his “brothers” and other part set his relationships with “gentiles”. Regarding to these laws and principles, the relationship with “a gentile” are only set on the basis of personal Jewish considerations and a Jewish person is legally permitted to provide his interests to deceive “a gentile” and take over him by tricking. According to Sombart, Jews support individualism because they oppose any orders other than their own ones, and it is precisely for this reason that they support “free trade” and “free consumption”.
Sombart believes that Jewish mental is completely one-dimensional; it has a prodigious power for acquiring and incorporating ideas of others, but it is incapable of creation. For instance, he recalls a young Jew; and he writes: “When I taught in Breslau, a young Jew came from the eastern end of Siberia to the city. In the first day when he arrived, he borrowed one of Marx's oeuvre from me, he read and he came to me again, he discussed about its contents and he borrowed another book. It lasted for a few months and then he returned to his village. During this time, the young man was not affected by his surrounding environment; he did not get familiar with anyone and he never went on a picnic. Living in Breslau for him was being streamed in another world, and he was absolutely indifferent to it. But he learned quite Marx’s thoughts. Sombart adds: “Isn’t this a typical case of the Jews? I think so, and you can see it every day.”
According to Sombart, Jewish religious morality requires a “real”, “moderate” and in a word “reasonable” relationship with the surrounding world, and thus it put “rationalism” in the foundation of Jewish economic and social activity and it put “frugality” and “moderation” within personal and familial life in the foundation of his personal behavior. Thus, the Jews are the most frugal human community. Sombart finds “the religious rationalism” even in the foundation of sexual behavior of the Jews in his research. According to him, Jewish Religion “has not prohibited sexual intercourse, but also it has made it rational”. Thus, Sombart appreciates the role of “sex factor” in the continuity and hierarchy of Jews, as well as their social and economic successes. In his view, the strong sexual adherence of the Jews, which was rooted in religious education, leads to family’s stability. He demonstrates that divorce rate is rare among the Jews according to the statistics. Therefore, he believes that Jews are a nation with a great sexual energy which they are forced to control this energy by their religious order, and so, the economic activity is a way to unleash this condense energy.
Weber, in the book of “sociology of religion” (1922) denies Sombart's opinion, which believes in “sexual abstinence” in the origin of “capitalism ethics” of the Jews. He writes that there are these moral regulations in some other religions which are also applied among Muslims. However, Weber agrees with Sombart on this principle that economic behavior of the Jews is based on value twofold perspectives: behavioral perspectives to “the brothers” and behavioral perspectives to “the gentiles”.
Sombart considers the Jewish role in the emergence of modern civilization in West capitalism based on following factors:

“In a specialized study such as this book, Jews’ influence might be appeared more than what was in practice. This is an inherent matter in such studies that it is viewed to the phenomenon only from one prospective. If we investigated the impact of technical innovation in modern economic life, it would be same. In a monograph, the impression of a subject seems more than its actual position ... Without any doubt; a thousand and one factors helped emerge the economic system of our time. Without discovery of America and its silver mines, without mechanical innovations of technical science, without ethnic peculiarities of new nations in Europe and their developments, the emergence of modern capitalism was as impossible as without Jews. In the long history of [the emergence of] capitalism, the influence of Jews is [only] a season. ***
1. Dispersion of the Jews in large areas of the world while maintaining their ethnical link and cohesion.
2. Their positions in the European countries as “the gentiles” and “the semi-citizens”.
3. Accumulated liquidity in their hands.


Dispersion of the Jews led to get an international characteristic, and this provided a financial “Universal Authority” for them. He referred, for instance, Lopez’s family lived in the port of Bordeaux and its branches were dispersed in Spain, the UK, Antwerp and Toulouse.
Semi-citizenship status led to become as “the separated cassettes” from their host communities and it gives them an organizational and collective cohesion.
Sombart indicates that enormous accumulated liquidity in the hands of the Jews at the beginning of modern capitalism era is caused by their possession over two kinds of products: first, the newly discovered gold and silver mines in Central and South America; second, cotton and indigo which were the main materials of textile industry.
According to Sombart, one of the most important factors in the growth of modern economic life was transformation of economic activity focus from south European nations (Italian, Spaniard, Portuguese and some German people in the South) to the northwestern nations of Europe ( Dutch, French, English, and German people in the north).
The epochal event in this process was the spontaneous boom of the Dutch economy and it became as stimulation for the economic development of facilities in France and England.
Sombart believed that the main reason for transformation of economic activity focus from south European nations to northwestern nations of Europe was the emigration of Jews from Spain and Portugal; an immigration which was accompanied by Columbus’ journey to America and “discovery” of East India’s islands by Vasco Dagama. The first Portuguese Marranos settled in Amsterdam in the late sixteenth century and their population grew rapidly. Thus, at the beginning of the eighteenth century, Amsterdam became the main focus of European Jews inasmuch as the Jews called the city “New Jerusalem”.