Scattergun: The Protocols of the Elders of Zion as presented in Behold a Pale Horse pp. 329-330

Protocol 23

"That the peoples may become accustomed to obedience it is necessary to inculcate lessons of humility and therefore to reduce the production of articles of luxury."

One of the biggest problems in the conspiracy world is that the conspiracy theorists seemingly want to lament the system that enforces a class system while at the same time not wanting to recommend any kind of system that would replace it. For example, present day conspiracy theorists seem to have an utter disdain for the capitalist system but they never dare criticize that because they've spent their entire lives demonizing Communism and Marxism. Someone like Bill Gates or George Soros should be their ideal because they are very wealthy. They've won capitalism, but instead they are demonized because they use their money in ways that conspiracy theorists don't like. 

Similarly the Elder here is trying to tell us that humility can be taught if there are no items of luxury; but I can't see that he's actually recommending that the Tsar give up their trappings. Luxury items are not the problem it's the widespread access to those items that is the problem. When the monarchy eats beluga caviar it's not a problem it's when Olaf and Sergei are also eating the same thing that becomes the problem. Luxury items are merely a symbol, the real problem is equality. Conspiracy theorists hate the idea that people are equal, because in their shallow view someone needs to be better than someone else. 

This protocol is unique in that it runs an idea that seems to be pro-Marxist in conclusion but in words seems to be anti-Marxist. Adam Smith lauded a pin maker that he had heard of that divided the labor among his employees. In effect, instead of one worker making an entire pin, that worker would set the spring, while another would attach it to the something...I'm not sure what kind of pins they were. I do know that he claimed that a worker making 4800 pins a day could make 48000 because the labor was divided. Marx, was a fan of Smith, and he realized that the while efficiency was a bonus it did two things: the first was that it only enriched the owner of the business. The second thing was that it alienated the worker from the fruits of their labor. The Elder points out that mass production moves the people against the government, not consciously, but because the people have no stake in the final product they have the free time to talk amongst themselves and possibly organize. 

People who have "small masters", i.e. those with an immediate circle or employment do not have this free time. They cannot, for instance, get together in secret because their master knows all of them. "A people of small masters knows nothing of unemployment and this binds him closely with existing order, and consequently with the firmness of authority." 

When the worker views the social order as abstract they begin to see that it is not a thing in their lives, it becomes an "other;" but a closely managed worker knows that authority is something real. It has a name, it has a face. What vexes me is that I can't figure out if we are supposed to agree with the elder or not. So far, most of the recommendations of the Elder have been things that are obvious we are supposed to hate because it's the tool of the Jewish Elders. It wouldn't make sense, from the plagiarist's point of view, to recommend us hating this because while the Tsar was far off, his regional governors and mayors and town burgomasters; we're close by with the Okhrana always ready to smash up a printing press or kill some rabble rousers. 

The elder will also ban drunkenness.

Then it gets weird. The Elder begins to proclaim that this ruler will rule all, that they will drench societies in blood only raise them up again while the forever war fights any kind of social infection. It reads like sound and fury which signifies nothing. 

At this point I think that Nilus has lost the thread of what he is trying to say. The "Chosen One of God" is going to be the one that rules, but, he's "chosen from above." Yet, I thought that the Elder and his people choose the ruler. Are we discussing a delivery from the current state of the world? Or is this the future we are supposed to fear? 

Things are further complicated, "They have overthrown all forms of social order to erect on the ruins the throne of the King of the Jews; but their part will be played out the moment he enters into his kingdom. Then it will be necessary to sweep them away from his path, on which must be left no knot, no splinter."

The "they" there are the Christians. These are the people that the Jewish Elder accuses of sweeping away all order so that their theocracy can be maintained. However, once Jesus enters this kingdom the Christians will have served their part and will need to be swept away. 

This is confusing because the Jewish Elder would not admit that the Christians had the right belief. He seems to be correct in that Christians will destroy every social order that they can in order to institute their way of life upon everyone else whether they want it or not; even in 19th/20th century Tsarist Russia this would have been the case. It's odd that Nilus would write this and include it in the book. I think his problem is that he can't be too heretical given his fanatical views--it would have been difficult for him to even write the words that there was no messiah coming (or coming back). 

Like all religious fanatics they assume that not only is their point of view the truth, but also that everyone else understands this as well. It's why street preachers think that handing out fake 20$ bills and little leaflets strewn with Bible quotes will work. For them, mere exposure to the truth of their religion should be enough to convert anyone. Even the Jewish cabal realizes the truth of Christianity which is why they will dispose of the Christians before forcing the world to "Give thanks to God and bow the knee before him who bears on his front the seal of the predestination of man, to which God Himself has led his star that none other but He might free us from all the before-mentioned forces and evils."

While I'm unfamiliar with Jewish prayers, this last quotation reads like a Christian one. This is a strange thing coming from the Jewish Elder. To repeat, I don't think Nilus understands what he's writing anymore. He clearly doesn't understand the economics from the last three protocols but I don't think that he remembers what we're supposed to be fighting against.