We really don’t have a clue why among all the ethnies that wandered through Europe in late antiquity and early middle ages, the Jews, and later Gypsies, were the only ones that didn’t develop a self-defense concept. However it was a pretty dangerous world and they had to be aware of it and in those times there were plenty of mountains and forests that could serve as natural shelters and fortresses. Like the Moorish soldiers defeated by Charlemagne who found their niche in the Alps (today’s Valais), like the Druze who made their strongholds in Lebanese mountains, they all prospered through history in various trades holding “gold in one hand and weapon in the other.” They provoked jealousy perhaps, but earned mostly security through respect. Of course, not all of those wandering groups were successful, but, in my view, it’s better to take a big risk than to remain always at the edge of extinction and to regenerate eventually from the parts, as Invertebrates do. The Jews were always looking for safer places, but those places were offered to them by kings and princes, and offered security is not real security. They eventually prospered, made money, and — were robbed chased away. Then they were reinvited, came back and the same story repeated itself again and again. Philippe le Bel and other kings did it. As I say, we don’t have a clue why they didn’t learn from history. Of course in our times nobody takes self defense in their own hands but for most groups and nations this problem is resolved through political independence. Only for the Jews and Gypsies does the problem remain unresolved because, in the adolescence of Europe, they didn’t take the proper steps. As for Israel, to survive it obviously needs money — it has it, weapons — it has them, and political skill — this it doesn’t show.
#67 excerpt, The Jews, the World and Money By Jacques Attali, January-February 2002