Reminds me of the line in Eco's essay on "Ur-Fascism" about how fascism demands an enemy that is "simultaneously too strong and too weak".
I'd never read that, thanks. Jews also fulfill the requirement per Eco that an enemy be simultaneously "inside and outside".
that may be what makes Jews unique - the only group that fulfills both strong/weak
and inside/outside
i.e. Jesuits were both strong (influence) and weak (actual temporal power), but categorically outside
whereas Muslims in Western countries can be seen as inside/outside - divided loyalty etc - but the 2nd largest religion on Earth can't be described as "weak"
and indeed has been a realistic - if not likely - existential threat to the West at points in history; the same goes for Catholicism in re: majority Protestant countries
so you add that unique combination of perceived qualities of Jews to the historically determined role as financiers and bang, there it is