The
Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion contains a lengthy,
elaborate plan explaining how Jews will secretly take over the world and
destroy liberty and democracy. I had heard a little about this conspiracy before,
but it did not prepare me for just how ridiculous, extensive, and absurd the conspiracy
would be. I find it difficult to understand how anyone could possibly believe
it, but I suppose fearmongering is effective, and the protocols clearly had a
big effect on the world and the rise of anti-Semitism in the 20th
century. The protocols have been condemned as a hoax as early as 1921, from
what I can find, so it is interesting to me that the protocols were still
impactful for decades afterward and have continued to persist even now, in some
places
I did find the format of
the protocols interesting. Though tedious to read, and often very repetitive,
the plan was laid out in a simple, easy to follow way. Also, anti-Semitic
conspiracy aside, it was somewhat interesting to read about possible methods
for infiltrating governments and taking over in a secret manner. If it had not
been a hateful, anti-Semitic conspiracy, I think it could have made an
interesting fictional novel. Some parts did remind me of 1984, with taking over the press, having the people spy on each
other, and changing the education system, among many others, though all those
go concurrently with any authoritarian government. Truthfully, much of the
economics in the protocols lost me, though I think I understood the gist of it.
In this conspiracy, infiltration happens through the economy, so it makes sense
that the protocols would go into detail about the economy, but it went a lot
further into the specifics than I had expected, including how internal and
external loans would work in their authoritarian government.