Sanders Eastern European Roots of Socialism Extended

Recently, Politico interviewed long time best friend of Bernie Sanders, John Franco, on the early life influences and origins of Sanders’ philosophies. It seems that Sanders works diligently to keep his private affairs separated from politics. What little we do know is mostly inconsequential. Before his days as a mayor of Burlington, his fomenting passion was geared toward fair labor practices. Prior to that, he resided in New York City, and grew up in modest surroundings with his domesticated mother and Polish immigrant father who sold paint.   Sanders once said he was “very conscious as a kid that my father’s whole family was killed by Hitler.” 

As a person of Jewish ancestry, I can also remember furtive mention of the holocaust kept within close family circles. Being grateful for life itself, it was  best thought not to spark unwanted anti-Semitic thought throughout the larger community.  I would add that Eastern European Jews emigrants from Sanders’ father’s era carry another secret too. In fact, it is so secret that most are not aware that they are carriers. Historically, socialism offered a less persecuted life to Jews living in the Diaspora whereas fascism dealt a heavy hand. Its origins date as far back as 1770 when cultural centers of influence determined modernization. Assimilation versus separatist thinking was of far more value. Over time, Jews were encouraged to leave behind medieval isolationist society where rabbinic courts ruled the day in ordering practices such as child marriage, “the use of anathema to enforce community will, and the concentration on virtually only religious studies.”1  Prussian Jew, Moses Mendelssohn (1729-1786), led the way to integrate ideas and come out of ghetto isolationism.  Embracing  language paved a way to nationalistic cultural circles, politics, and infrastructure. Concentrated Jewish populations lived in Poland, Russia, and Germany.  Influenced by collective socialism, naturally when fascist government came along and targeted Jews as disruptive or overbearing, Jews moved away from the pressure.

Families that migrated to the United States brought these old school philosophies with them, the ubiquitous sense that all would be fed if all would be shared. My grandfather entertained this notion from time to time as he would impart his musings. I imagine that he acquired this from his parents cultural upbringing as they migrated from the Russian/Polish border. We need to remember always that their exodus was a desperate one so that they could have a better, freer life here. In the past they favored the party that seemed the least anti-Semitic. But they made their way and prospered in good, hard-earned capitalism. Philosophies die hard. Bernie, and so many by extension, carried the old country ideas in their minds from that boat. It took for many. But so many others were stuck in historic rituals. Today we have unregulated bribes that allow unfair advantage to special interest groups of both sides. This fodder has fertilized Sanders’ popularity. That is not what made this country grow and thrive. Perhaps instead, we need to go back to what worked best not what caused a mass exodus from Europe.