ABSTRACT
I begin this study with On the Jewish Question by Karl Marx (1818-1883). Aside from it being one of the earliest contributions, the themes addressed by Marx continue to form the contours of the debate. Most important amongst these strands are, first, Marx’s insistence that critical thinking bring to light the historical and social underpinnings of what appear as natural phenomena. Second, is the equivocal attitude he adopts to rights as an expression of modern emancipation and the open possibilities of the future. Third, is the presentation of antisemitism as an expression of ressentiment against the Jews as the representatives of the modern era.
