The Prelude Of British Jews Liberation

This paper strives, by studying deeply into the Jewish Naturalization Bill of1753and analyzing the background of the bill and the controversy it aroused, to seek the link between the bill and the emancipation of British Jews and to explain whether anti-Semitism had played an important role during the controversy.A number of Jews arrived from France and further afield to England following the Norman Conquest of1066, and thus began the recorded history of Jews in Britain. They were, however, persecuted and expelled by Edward I, and it was not until1656did Cromwell admit unofficially the resettlement of Jews in Britain. Despite of the role the Jews had played in the economic boom of England, they were denied of the political and civil rights enjoyed by British citizens. In the year1753, a furious public outcry was provoked by the passage of the famous Jewish Naturalization Bill, which sought to facilitate the naturalization of a Jew by an Act of Parliament, and to grant the foreign-born Jews the right to own real property. The government had to yield to the popular fury and the Bill was repealed on the opening day of the following session. The major concern of the public laid in the worry that the Jews might gain strength through the bill. At the same time, xenophobia and the strong will to defend the authority of Anglican Church served as another two factors which excited the protest. In addition, the coming general election is believed to have had an effect on the controversy. An unsuccessful measure as the bill was, it was a prelude to the emancipation one century afterward of the British Jews. The emancipation of the Anglo-Jews was not realized by a general and comprehensive measure, but was obtained gradually, making it a deviant from the continental pattern. Compared with their counterparts in the European continent, the British Jews, after the resettlement, enjoyed better conditions in Britain, and we do not agree with those who believe that anti-Semitism had played a role in the Jew Bill controversy.