Anti-semitic journalism and authorship in Britain, 1914-21
This thesis illustrates how anti-semitism has found favour, comparatively recently, among influential sectors of the journalistic and literary establishment, and also how periods of intense national and international crisis can create the conditions in which conspiratorial explanations of major events will surface with relative ease. During the seven years following the outbreak of the First World War (August, 1914), anti-semitism was fuelled by the recurring crises created by a total war and its immediate aftermath. These included, the call for national unity, with its attendant criticisms of enemy aliens, sympathisers, and collaborators; the need to introduce and enforce conscription; the fear of defeat; the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia and the spectre of Bolshevism as an international force; the effects of the Versailles Settlement and the League of Nations on Britain's national interests; and the beginning of Britain's decline as an imperial power. The rapid development of anti-semitic literature during those years, reached its high-water mark with the publication of two pernicious booksâThe Jewish Peril (an English translation of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion) and The Cause of World Unrestâboth
Beeston, David
History
Anti-semitic journalism and authorship in Britain, 1914-21. This thesis illustrates how anti-semitism has found favour, comparatively recently, among influential sectors of the journalistic and literary establishment, and also how periods of intense national and international crisis can create the conditions in which conspiratorial explanations of major events will surface with relative ease. During the seven years following the outbreak of the First World War (August, 1914), anti-semitism was fuelled by the recurring crises created by a total war and its immediate aftermath. These included, the call for national unity, with its attendant criticisms of enemy aliens, sympathisers, and collaborators; the need to introduce and enforce conscription; the fear of defeat; the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia and the spectre of Bolshevism as an international force; the effects of the Versailles Settlement and the League of Nations on Britain's national interests; and the beginning of Britain's decline as an imperial power. The rapid development of anti-semitic literature during those years, reached its high-water mark with the publication of two pernicious booksâThe Jewish Peril (an English translation of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion) and The Cause of World Unrestâboth
anti semitic journalism authorship britain illustrates anti_semitism find favour comparatively recently among influential sector journalistic literary establishment also period_intense national_international crisis create_condition explanation major_event surface relative ease follow outbreak first_world_war august anti_semitism fuel recur crisis create total war immediate_aftermath include call national_unity attendant criticism enemy alien collaborator need introduce enforce conscription fear defeat bolshevik revolution russia international force effect settlement league_nations britain national interest begin britain decline imperial_power rapid_development anti semitic literature year reach high water mark publication book jewish peril english_translation protocols cause world unrest