This pamphlet attempts to remove the prejudice and
misapprehension and confused thinking which befogs
the Jewish question, and to examine it realistically and
in its essence. The 'problem^1 of the Jews is shown to
arise from two sources: Jewish tradition, which has
inculcated in Jews the need to keep themselves separate,
if they were to survive as Jews, and Jewish experience at
the hands of the peoples among whom they have lived.
Among the Jews themselves two main programmes have
been proposed and followed: assimilation with their
countries of adoption, or the foundation of a Jewish
National Home (Zionism).
The special causes of modern antisemitism are exam-
ined, and it is shown to be due to two main factors: the
persecutions in Tsarist Russia at the end of the nine-
teenth century, which led to the flooding of Western
Europe and America with several million Jewish refugees
from a totally different level of culture; and the fever
of nationalism which followed on the heels of the 1914-18
war, and which made life difficult for all minorities,
Mr. Parkes is also author of Oxford Pamphlet No* 31
on Palestine.
First published soth March, 1941.
Printed, in Great Britain and published by
THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS Amen House, E£>4
LONDON EDINBURGH GLASGOW NEW YORK TORONTO
MELBOURNE CAPETOWN BOMBAV CALCUTTA MADRAS
HUMPHREY MILFORD Publisher to ike University