Authoritarianism, ‘Nie Wieder’

Abstract

This is a study of religious-cultural, economic, and political anti-Semitism among high schoolers in the Netherlands and Belgium (Flanders). It also relates anti-Semitism to students’ knowledge about World War II, their socioeconomic status, and other personal indicators (for example, having Jews as acquaintances).

The research findings indicate that anti-Semitism was divisible into three parts, that students largely rejected it, and that authoritarianism was linked to and shared common roots with it. The more knowledge students had about the Holocaust and the more they paid attention to details of World War II, the less anti-Semitism they demonstrated. Therefore, knowledge is both directly related to anti-Semitism and indirectly related to it through students’ attitudes toward World War II. The other factors measured (SES and acquaintances) were not so closely associated, but authoritarianism was found to be an intermediary factor.

In Belgium (Flanders), anti-Semitism was related to antiminority prejudices, nationalism, xenophobia, authoritarianism, antifeminism, pro-apartheid, and racist party preference. Type of education or school was also related to anti-Semitism and ethnocentrism so that education played a role here as a mediating factor. The conclusion is that, while anti-Semitism may not always be part of the authoritarianism-ethnocentrism syndrome, it often appears that a rise in such attitudes may increase anti-Semitism and vice versa.