The Origins of Totalitarianism

In the first chapter, Arendt sets out to define antisemitism and to dispel myths surrounding its origin and ties to totalitarianism. She highlights the discrepancy between the small size of the Jewish population and the belief that the Jewish people were the catalyst for Nazi totalitarianism. Arendt clarifies that antisemitism is not the same thing as hating Jewish people. In fact, antisemitism has little do with Judaism at all. Antisemitism is an ideology with both political and social implications that claims that the world would be a better place without Jews. Antisemitism, like all ideologies, is born out of conflict. While many viewed the Nazi’s focus on the Jewish people as a new concept, antisemitism has a long history that functions as a pre-history to totalitarianism. At the same time, antisemitism is not the cause of totalitarianism, which has its roots in imperialism. Arendt exposes and refutes four arguments that connect the Jewish people with the origins of Nazi totalitarianism.

First, she rejects that antisemitism is related to nationalism. The Nazis did not adhere to a traditional nationalism and always focused outside of Germany’s borders with an emphasis on total power.