Agnostic over at Dusk in Autumn poses a very interesting question…
Why are Parsi elites welcomed, while Jewish and Chinese elites are reviled?
Even though they are only one case, it is such a strong counter-example that it must make us reconsider what truly underlies the psychology of anger toward ethnic elites. The Parsis, like the Jews and the Chinese, are not a native ethnic group of the society where they have strong influence, having come from Persia into India. (While they do share some genetic and cultural heritage, it would still be like a group of Armenians settling and wielding much control over the economy in Ireland.) They also came to their high status gradually through greater intelligence and industriousness, not through force. And they have been living in their host society for hundreds of years — plenty of time for the seeds of envy and rioting to have been sown.
And yet, there has been no history of pogroms against the Parsis. If anything, they’re seen as more of a national treasure, not that Indians worship them or anything. All the ingredients for an explosion of ethnic hatred and rioting would seem to have been present for centuries, so what gives?
I would say that there are multiple reasons for this, interwoven between culture, religion, spirit of entrepreneurship and many other nuances.
Do read the entire article and comment on it here.
