George Soros

George Soros, born György Schwartz , is a Hungarian-born billionaire. Most people don't know much about him, and his name and appearance makes him look like a Bond villain (plus, his surname is a palindrome). What better guy to portray as the brain to which the entire progressive movement is beholden?"Malaysian ex-premier Mahathir and billionaire Soros end feud", News Online (15 December 2006, 11:29pm AEDT). Mahatir Mohamad has basically admitted to using Soros as a scapegoat. The movement is easier to demonize when it seems like it's all the machination of a rich evil bastard who's allegedly part of the International Jewish conspiracy theory. In reality, what he's doing is fairly innocuous. Indeed, Soros has done some good in the world by funding district attorneys who oppose the War on (Some) Drugs (so he can smoke dope in Albany?). Perhaps one day the state can mind its own business rather than spending oodles of money on non-violent drug offenders. However, there are legitimate criticisms of him (mostly from the left), as one does not become a billionaire without exploiting the proletariat.
That being said, it's important to gain some perspective on Soros' actual power. Soros' net worth was $8.3 billion as of 2019, and $32 billion has been spent by him on philanthropy previously; his net worth and his previous expenditures together total $40 billion.What George Soros' life is really like: How the former hedge-fund manager built his $8.3 billion fortune, purchased a sprawling network of New York homes, and became the topic of international conspiracy theories. Business Insider. Charles and David Koch, two multi-billionaires who regularly donate to conservative causes, could buy and sell Soros' peasant ass two times over due to having a combined net worth of $90 billion.Charles Koch Net Worth. Celebrity Net Worth. Moreover, in 2001-2012, 92 out of 100 richest U.S. billionaires contributed to a political cause; they have combined wealth of $2200 fucking billion, and they mostly contributed to conservative causes.Billionaires typically stay quiet about their politics. But don’t mistake their silence for moderation — the uber-rich tend to be extremely politically active and extremely conservative. Jacobin. So why all the fuss about Soros when there are much more powerful people out there?
Despite how stupid this hysteria is, Soros is a favorite boogeyman of the far right. To them, Soros is a dark and mysterious figure who is responsible for astroturfing the entire left wing of not only the United States, but the entire left worldwide.https://goachronicle.com/twitter-new-york-times-george-soros-begins-operation-remove-modi/ (from a fringe Hindutva blog) Even President Trump, while throwing a fit because of what Soros said about him back in 2016, has gotten in on the action by tweeting in October of 2018 that people protesting against Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination were "paid for by Soros and others."Tweet. October 5, 2018. This is only one sign that Soros conspiracy theories have become mainstream. 
Even worse, Soros conspiracies seem on the verge of causing real-world violence. , the man behind the 2018 United States mail bombing attempts, drew inspiration from conspiracies that claimed Soros was paying refugees to come to the United States. The FBI learned in 2017 that a far-right militia in New Mexico was training with assault weapons in the hopes of murdering former President Barack Obama, former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and their perceived backer George Soros.FBI Received Reports Militia Leader Talked Of Assassin Training Targeting Obama, Soros. Huffington Post.
RationalWiki is, of course, a proud recipient of Soros' dark money, because we're all a bunch of evil Zionists who want to destroy Western civilization and usher in a one-world Atheist/Islamist/Socialist/Communist government.
==Conspiracy theories==
===Becoming the boogeyman===
Soros actually made modest donations to the GOP in the 1980s and 1990s, and the GOP initially considered Soros an ally because of his opposition to communist dictators. Soros ceased donating to the GOP after George W. Bush invaded Iraq in 2003 based on, ahem, shall we say, faulty intelligence.
George Soros has since become a well-known funder of various liberal organizations, including the Center for American Progress, MoveOn.org, and a princely $1 million donation to Media Matters. It was speculated that he gave funds to the Occupy movement in 2011; however, this was proven not the case. He also funds a whole bunch of NGOs, mostly dealing with civic supervision over governments, which is something authoritarian parties (e.g. ) don't like.
Soros famously bet against the British pound in 1992, causing investors to panic and earning himself $1 billion.The man who broke the Bank of England. BBC News. He subsequently turned around and used his infamy to begin advocating for tighter regulation of international markets. Hatred towards him from the American right began in 2007, when Fox News pundit Bill O'Reilly went on a ten-minute rant about how he is an "extremist" who supposedly bought up control of the American left and has become "off the chart dangerous."Transcript of O'Reilly segment "Buying Political Power". (Scary!) Glenn Beck concocted a conspiracy theory in which Soros secretly bankrolled communist eastern European regimes despite the fact that he actually supported anti-communist opposition parties in these states. Beck also amusingly used three giant chalkboards, a wooden pointer, various props, and literal marionette puppets to explain how Soros was behind a "shadow party" that wanted to create a "one-world government".How George Soros Became The Right’s Biggest Boogeyman. Vocativ. A decade later, Soros hasn't taken over, yet far-right conspiracy theorists still believe this stupid shit. 
===The mastermind behind everything we don't like!===
Donald Trump, his son and his Republican cronies blame Soros for just about everything that inconveniences them. They claim Soros has taken over Black Lives Matter to promote socialism, somehowBlack Lives Matter has been hijacked by George Soros: Sheriff Clarke. Fox News. They claim that Soros paid all of the anti-Kavanaugh protesters,No, George Soros isn't paying Kavanaugh protesters. Washington Post. because clearly there's no way that any Americans would be opposed to Kavanaugh without some kind of monetary compensation. They've even JAQed off about whether Soros is funding the wave of Central American refugees trying to seek asylum in the US (as if refugees need motivation).Trump says he 'wouldn't be surprised' if unfounded conspiracy theory about George Soros funding caravan is true. Washington Post. Sean Hannity brought a guest on his segment to claim that the migrant caravans were an "assault" on the United States sponsored by George Soros.Hannity guest Glenn Beck claims migrant caravans are “an assault” on America funded by George Soros. Media Matters. Breitbart hopped on the bandwagon by claiming that Soros was behind a plot to stage a massive anti-Trump protest in April 2017.Soros Groups Behind Massive Anti-Trump Tax Day Protest Plot. Breitbart. 
The Women's March? Engineered by Soros.Pants on Fire claim that George Soros money went to Women's March protesters. PolitiFact. The Mueller investigation? It used resources controlled by Soros!Trump Campaign: Mueller’s Investigation Is Financed By Soros Official. Big League Politics. Colin Kaepernick? Popularizing the hatred of America on behalf of his "buddy Soros," according to Tomi Lahren.Tomi Lahren tweet. Sep 24, 2017. As fact-checking site Snopes has gained prominence, some conspiracy theorists are claiming that Soros is behind it too,For Fact-Checking Website Snopes, a Bigger Role Brings More Attacks. New York Times. because when the facts are against you, better blame the fact-checkers! Particularly disgusting cranks claimed that victims of school shootings around the US are in fact crisis actors paid for by you-know-who.Right-Wing Media Uses Parkland Shooting as Conspiracy Fodder. New York Times.
Conspiracy theorists aren't even above outright altering photographs to suit their agenda. Climate activist Greta Thunberg was accused of being a Soros proxy after pictures circulated of her standing next to him. In reality, she was with Al Gore, and some internet busybodies decided to Photoshop Soros' head on Gore's body.Fake News Trolls Are Trying To Tie Greta Thunberg To George Soros. Forward.
===He wants to destroy America!===
Infowars has repeatedly claimed that Soros wants to destroy America and the whole world, making videos like "George Soros Is About To Overthrow The U.S." or " Trump Pulls World From Brink Of Nuclear War: Soros Outraged". Viral Facebook memes have been circulated by cranks showing an obviously fake quote from Soros: "I’ve made my life’s mission to destroy the United States. I hate this country and I hate all of the people in it!"No, George Soros never said he made it his life’s mission to ‘destroy the United States’. Politifact. 
Why is this idiocy so popular? Well, the unfortunate fact is that large segments of the American right consider basic political advocacy (by the other side) and criticism of the government (but only when the right is in power) as "wanting to destroy America."George Soros is a favorite target of the right — here's how that happened. Business Insider. Soros is vocally anti-Trump.George Soros calls Trump a ‘would-be dictator’ who ‘is going to fail’. CNBC. Therefore he hates America. The irony is lost on the far right that identifying their movement and their leader with the whole country is way more directly harmful to American politics than Soros could ever be.
===Far-right hysteria in Europe===
Soros is also a hated figure among Europe's populist far-right parties and politicians. Romanian politicians used the same "paid Soros protesters" card in 2017 to dismiss an event that involved half a million of their country's citizens.Who’s Afraid of George Soros?. Foreign Policy. Soros has also been blamed for things like the Catalan independence movement (because what better way to achieve a one-world government than by making more countries, eh?) as well as any bad thing that happens in Romania. Polish leaders blame Soros for promoting multiculturalism.Scapegoating George Soros: How media-savvy far-right activists spread lies. The Conversation. He has also been attacked by Turkish President Erdoğan, who used Soros conspiracies to justify jailing opposition figures. Erdoğan's specific quote refers to Soros as "The famous Hungarian Jew" who "assigns people to divide nations and shatter them."[Soros foundation to close in Turkey after attack by Erdoğan]. Reuters.
In his home country, Soros has an enemy in Viktor Orbán, Hungary's far-right leader. Orbán has repeatedly passed legislation targeting Soros' non-profits and even forced the famous Central European University to leave the country due to its ties to Soros.Hungary’s Anti-George Soros Campaign Is A Cautionary Tale For The U.S.. Huffington Post. He claims that Soros is encouraging and benefiting from the refugee crisis.Hungarian PM Slams Soros-Funded Advocacy Groups: They “Are Drawing A Living From The Immigration Crisis”, Breitbart A bill in 2018 declaring that it was criminal to aid refugees in Hungary was called the "Stop Soros Law", and subways in Budapest had posters of Soros' face on the floors for commuters to trample on.The Intellectual Fighting Against Viktor Orbán's War on George Soros. Haaretz. The government of a sovereign country is literally waging a political war against one man over conspiracy theories. 
Elsewhere in Europe? The Russian government has as of 2015 banned all of George Soros' philanthropic organizations from operating in Russia as a threat to national security.Russia Bans George Soros Charity as a Security Threat, CNBC *In the UK the right-wing press has gone into hysterics about his funding of pro-European Union groups, talking of a "secret plot" against Brexit in terms that bring to mind talk of secret international Jewish conspiracies.A secret plot to stop Brexit, or an antisemitic dog whistle?, Rafael Behr, The Guardian, Feb 8, 2018The George Soros controversy shows what Brexiteers have become: irredeemable conspiracy theorists, Will Gore, The Independent, Feb 8, 2018
White supremacist Steve Bannon has made no secret of the fact that he hopes to use Soros conspiracies as a means to further mobilize Europe's far right.Why the Right Loves to Hate George Soros. The Atlantic.
In Ukraine, the now banned pro-Russia party loved to accuse their political opponents of working for Soros (ironically, is Jewish himself).
===Cue the anti-Semitism===
Being known as "The Man Who Broke the Bank of England," Soros is featured in many international Jewish conspiracy theories (and he usually has ties to the Rothschild family and the Rockefeller family in those theories, of course), e.g. by the John Birch SocietyGeorge Soros Funded by the House of Rothschild by Joe Wolverton, II (02 May 2011 15:33) The New American (archived from February 5, 2013).
and others.See these sites for example. During the 1997-98 southeast Asian financial crisis, Malaysian premier Mahathir bin Mohamad fingered Soros as the head of a Jewish cabal that had caused the crisis. This began a feudSoros Calls Mahathir A 'Menace' To Malaysia, The New York Times between the two that lasted until 2006, when Mahathir apologized.Malaysian ex-premier Mahathir and billionaire Soros end feud, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Jews in Hungary have noted that the intense anti-Soros campaign there seems to be a vehicle for overt antisemitism,Hungarian Jews ask PM Orbán to end 'bad dream' of anti-Semitism. Reuters. much as birtherism is used here as a dog whistle for racism. In the States, Breitbart has used Nazi-inspired antisemitic imagery and rhetoric to demonize Soros.Breitbart Uses Nazi-Inspired Anti-Semitic Rhetoric In George Soros Attack. Media Matters. Glenn Beck repeatedly used another historically antisemitic image to refer to Soros, that of the supposed "puppet master."“Puppet master” : Beck's attacks on Soros are steeped in antisemitic stereotypes. Media Matters.
===Soros, DeSantis supporter?===
In June 2023, Soros made waves on MAGA social media with accusations of him supporting DeSantis. However, this conspiracy theory was made from out of context comments by Soros on the 2024 presidential election, where he called DeSantis "shrewd" and "ruthless", stating that a race between him and Trump would end up with DeSantis winning and Trump moving to a third party and causing chaos among the party, which would give the Democrats an opening for the election.Soros did not endorse DeSantis in 2024 presidential raceClaims that George Soros praised Ron DeSantis are missing context
===Soros and Nazism===
A particularly stupid conspiracy theory was that Soros was a Nazi officer who participated in the killing of Jews. An image of a man who was supposedly Soros in his youth made the rounds in right wing social media, claiming irony that he was a Nazi funding Antifa. However, the man in the image was actually a man named Oskar Groning, a bookkeeper at Auschwitz (Soros was a child during the time of the Nazi regime).Fact check: Photograph shows Nazi bookkeeper, not George SorosViral Photo Shows Nazi Guard Oskar Groening, Not Young George Soros
==Soros' Holocaust experience==
In reality, Soros was born on August 12, 1930 in Budapest.Soros: The Life and Times of a Messianic Billionaire by Michael T. Kaufman (2002) Knopf. ISBN 9780375405853. p. 17. That would have made him 13 years old when Nazi Germany invaded Hungary on March 19, 1944 and began mass deportation of Jews to concentration camps shortly thereafter. Soros was 14 years old when the Soviet Army liberated Hungary on February 13, 1945.
Various nutty sources allege that Soros — who is Jewish — was actively involved in perpetrating the Holocaust. He has been falsely accused of a wide range of atrocities: being a Nazi; being in the SS; stealing his wealth from Holocaust victims.An Epidemic of Dishonesty on the Right, Kevin D Williamson, National Review, Feb 22, 2018 Glenn Beck accused Soros of collaborating with the Nazis as a teenager in Nazi-occupied Hungary, when he had been hidden with the Christian family of a government official at the ages of 13 to 14 to escape persecution.Glenn Beck: Making of the Puppet Master. This is a rush transcript from "Glenn Beck," November 11, 2010. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated. (Published November 12, 2010; Last Update January 14, 2015) Fox News (archived from January 26, 2019).See Glenn Beck's Anti-Semitic Attacks and George Soros: Too Anti-Communist for Glenn Beck. This also resulted in a truly awesome Daily Show episode.
Others who have falsely accused Soros of collaborating with the Nazis (or of being one) include:
* (actor),George Soros wasn't a Nazi, he was a 14-year-old Jew who hid from them: The 87-year-old billionaire has been the subject of smears for nearly 20 years, propagated by message boards and dispersed by Alex Jones, Donald Trump Jr., Roseanne Barr, and others by Avi Selk (Thursday 31 May 2018 17:53) The Independent. who later apologized to SorosRoseanne Barr Apologizes To George Soros For Nazi Comments by Erik Pedersen (June 11, 2018 4:48pm) Deadline.
*ConservapediaGeorge Soros Conservapedia (archived from January 5, 2019). "…he worked for the Nazis as a teenager, fingering and looting his compatriot Jews."
*Ann CoulterMedia Matters sugar daddy is George Soros, WHO IDENTIFIED JEWS TO THE NAZIS, as he admitted on 60 Minutes by Ann Coulter (6:51 PM - Jun 11, 2015) Twitter (archived from August 10, 2018).
*Dinesh D'Souza@georgesoros, now a principle financial backer of violent #Antifa thugs, admits his collaboration with Hitler and says he has no regrets: by Dinesh D'Souza (3:30 AM — 2 Sep 2017) Twitter (archived from october 31, 2018).
*Alex Jones
*Donald Trump Jr.
* (actor)#Nazi collaborator #GeorgeSoros in his own words, while other Jews his age had died fighting Nazis in the Warsaw Ghetto by James Woods (5:03 PM - 18 Aug 2017) Twitter.
Blaming the victim is in fact a form of Holocaust denial.Blaming the Victims 2.0 by Sara Elise Brown and Henry C. Theriault (June 2, 2013 at 7:55 pm) The Armenian Weekly. Soros was a victim because he was a Jewish child in Nazi-occupied Hungary during a period of active deportations to concentration camps.
Soros was asked about his experience in Nazi-occupied Hungary in a 1998 interview with on 60 Minutes:Beck falsely accuses Soros of Nazi collaboration on Kristallnacht anniversary. Media Matters. November 9, 2010.
Reputable media sources are united in saying that the allegations about Soros's Nazi past are false.Smears of George Soros Resurface in Roseanne's Twitter Tantrum, Niraj Chokshi, New York Times, May 29, 2018Was George Soros an SS Officer or Nazi Collaborator During World War II? by David Emery (Published 28 November 2016; Updated 4 February 2018) Snopes. Even the very right-wing National Review, which has called Soros a "genuinely nasty guy", has dismissed the allegations and said they are part of a wider problem many on the right have with telling the truth.
==Legitimate criticisms==
There are genuinely good criticisms of Soros, usually from the left (though the massive amount of insane conspiracy theories about him cloud discussions about his actual negative effects in politics). Like other tycoons, Soros has built his empire on the backs of proletariats. One example is his bet against the UK pound, causing the British economy to crash and put the middle class out of business and the lower class even more suffering. His funding of Democratic Party candidates (mirroring the Koch brothers funding of Republican Party candidates) is also non-democratic as it only serves his interests and the interests of other millionaires and billionaires who want their agenda (no taxes on them and no restriction on their power and influence) to be intact.George Soros, Influence Watch
==See also==
*Rothschild family more rich Jews the far right hates.
*Rockefeller family rich Christians, but also hated as much by the far right.
*James Hansen Soros allegedly controls NASA via Hansen in order to perpetuate the global warming hoax. 
*Pizzagate Soros Often Rewards Orphan Sex
==External links==
*SourceWatch entry
==References==
 
Category:Antisemitism
Category:Billionaires
Category:Brexit
Category:Business
Category:Conspiracy theories
Category:Conspiracy theorist scapegoats
Category:Jews
Category:Living people
Category:Rightists who turned left with age