In medieval Europe, Jews were often barred from owning land and joining trade guilds, limiting their occupational choices. At the same time, Christian doctrines prohibited many Christians from charging interest on loans (“usury”) — but those restrictions were not applied to Jews. As a result, many Jews were involved with moneylending, one of the few professions available to them at the time. This economic necessity, born out of exclusion, laid the groundwork for harmful stereotypes associating Jews with greed and financial manipulation that continue to this day.

The Rothschilds, a prominent Jewish banking family in 18th- and 19th-century Europe, became a focal point for many of these antisemitic conspiracy theories. Their financial success sparked unfounded claims that they secretly controlled global banking systems. These narratives were amplified by falsified propaganda documents like the “Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” a notorious antisemitic book first published in 1903 that describes an imagined Jewish plan for world domination.

Today, these myths persist in various forms, including false assertions that Jewish individuals or families control institutions like the U.S. Federal Reserve. Such claims lack any factual basis and are propagated by extremist groups to promote antisemitic agendas, widely seen online. These conspiracy theories not only misrepresent Jewish people and foment animosity towards Jews, but also detract from legitimate understanding and discussion of trade and global economics.