[Mr Rayon]

In Europe, why were so many Jewish people rich prior to WWII?

And why are so many Jewish people Nobel laureate winners?

Anybody got any ideas?

What's their secret?

This post has been edited by Mr Rayon: 30 January 2012 - 07:26 AM

[ajb]

Mr Rayon, on 30 January 2012 - 07:24 AM, said:

And why are so many Jewish people Nobel laureate winners?

I am not sure if your questions are a bit loaded, but this one is interesting. Why I have no idea, but two factors maybe important: genetics and culture.

[swansont]

Mr Rayon, on 30 January 2012 - 07:24 AM, said:

In Europe, why were so many Jewish people rich prior to WWII?

Have you established that this is true? Were Jewish people over-represented?

Mr Rayon, on 30 January 2012 - 07:24 AM, said:

And why are so many Jewish people Nobel laureate winners?

Anybody got any ideas?

What's their secret?

As ajb said, culture may be an influence. It is my understanding that there is an affinity for education and respect for science and scientists ingrained in the culture.

[CaptainPanic]

I would like to see some numbers to back up the assumption that they were richer.

I believe that it was claimed true by the nazis, but they ran a big propaganda machine. You should doubt anything they claimed. As a good lie, there may be a little truth in it, but it is probably hugely exaggerated. Or even a complete lie.

All I know is that Jews historically ran the diamond business (In Antwerp, and for a while in Amsterdam). They still do. In that field, I guess it's a matter of networking, which is easier in your own (religious) circle.

[swansont]

CaptainPanic, on 30 January 2012 - 12:22 PM, said:

All I know is that Jews historically ran the diamond business (In Antwerp, and for a while in Amsterdam). They still do. In that field, I guess it's a matter of networking, which is easier in your own (religious) circle.

It could also be a matter of taking jobs that were shunned by other groups. The Christian ban on usury, for example, probably kept Christians out of banking. For a time, anyway.

[Phi for All]

Mr Rayon, on 30 January 2012 - 07:24 AM, said:

In Europe, why were so many Jewish people rich prior to WWII?

And why are so many Jewish people Nobel laureate winners?

Anybody got any ideas?

What's their secret?

Isn't this more of a case of us hearing about the wealthy ones more than the poor ones? I would like to see evidence that says there were a disproportionate amount of European Jews who were wealthy prior to WWII.

This seems similar to assuming that most Arabs are terrorists because when we hear about them it's in connection with terrorism. Are we just shining a spotlight on a particular group and then wondering why so many seem similar?

[skanda]

I do not think that culture is a distinguishing factor. There are penty of similar examples like the cuture of Egypt, Italy, Hellas and others. In addition excuse me to say that the "genetics point seems rather catchy and perhaps dangerous, as we could then move on to other assumptions that could be easily explained by genetics and i don't think any of us is going to acuse Germans for autocracy, based on their genetics

[Banks]

ajb, on 30 January 2012 - 08:53 AM, said:

I am not sure if your questions are a bit loaded, but this one is interesting. Why I have no idea, but two factors maybe important: genetics and culture.

Sorry I'm confused; I thought being jew is just a religion, not a race.

[ajb]

Banks, on 7 February 2012 - 10:08 PM, said:

Sorry I'm confused; I thought being jew is just a religion, not a race.

http://en.wikipedia....religious_group


I guess you can be a follower of Judaism and not be a Jew.

[Arete]

Banks, on 7 February 2012 - 10:08 PM, said:

Sorry I'm confused; I thought being jew is just a religion, not a race.

The presence of hereditary diseases which positively correlate with subscription to Judaism would suggest a genetic basis for being Jewish and therefore render it describable as an ethnicity in addition to being a religion.

http://www.mazornet.com/genetics/
http://www.jewishvir...h/genetics.html
http://www.jewishgeneticdiseases.org/