Herzl, Theodor, 1860-1904; Zionism; Zionists -- Austria -- Biography
For the emigration which I suggest will not create any economic
crises. Such crises as would follow everywhere in consequence of
Jew-baiting would rather be prevented by the carrying out of my plan.
A great period of prosperity would commence in countries which are
now Anti-Semitic. For there will be, as I have repeatedly said, an
internal migration of Christian citizens into the positions slowly and
systematically evacuated by the Jews. If we are not merely suffered,
but actually assisted to do this, the movement will have a generally
beneficial effect. That is a narrow view, from which one should free
oneself, which sees in the departure of many Jews a consequent
impoverishment of countries. It is different from a departure which is
a result of persecution, for then property is indeed destroyed, as it
is ruined in the confusion of war. Different again is the peaceable
voluntary departure of colonists, wherein everything is carried out
with due consideration for acquired rights, and with absolute
conformity to law, openly and by light of day, under the eyes of the
authorities and the control of public opinion. The emigration of
Christian proletarians to different parts of the world would be
brought to a standstill by the Jewish movement.
The States would have a further advantage in the enormous increase of
their export trade; for, since the emigrant Jews "over there" would
depend for a long time to come on European productions, they would
necessarily have to import them. The local groups would keep up a just
balance, and the customary needs would have to be supplied for a long
time at the accustomed places.
Another, and perhaps one of the greatest advantages, would be the
ensuing social relief. Social dissatisfaction would be appeased during
the twenty or more years which the emigration of the Jews would
occupy, and would in any case be set at rest during the whole
transition period.
The shape which the social question may take depends entirely on the
development of our technical resources. Steampower concentrated men in
factories about machinery where they were overcrowded, and where they
made one another miserable by overcrowding. Our present enormous,
injudicious, and unsystematic rate of production is the cause of
continual severe crises which ruin both employers and employees. Steam
crowded men together; electricity will probably scatter them again,
and may perhaps bring about a more prosperous condition of the labor
market. In any case our technical inventors, who are the true
benefactors of humanity, will continue their labors after the
commencement of the emigration of the Jews, and they will discover
things as marvellous as those we have already seen, or indeed more
wonderful even than these.
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