Who Was Lord Jacob Rothschild?

A good will goodbye to an enigmatic enemy (during Lent)

Penned by the IAA Librarian

Springtime is truly here at the IAA UK Headquarters. This morning, as I narrowly-avoided a machete-wielding stabber in London, I managed to catch an early train out to work, where upon arrival, I may have even spotted a spring bunny hopping over a drunken Bucklander, passed out on the front lawn—home-brewed ale in hand… However, spring isn’t merely just a time for renewed liveliness and a revival of spirits, or the re-emergence of familiar critters, fiends, and friends, but also a time for some somber reflection, as the Great and Holy Lent arrives upon us (particularly us Orthodox Christians), and we are emphatically tasked with reorienting ourselves towards prayer, penance, good will, fasting, and of course, devotion to God.

Just two weeks before Lent began this year then, was when I also happened upon the headline that yet another one of our shadowy overlords had bit the dust. The usual obituaries flooded my TL, and Editor-in-Chief (Jeff) McNukes was straight on the telephone—it was time for me, your steadfast librarian, to once again deliver an accurate account of the story. But, even though Jeff was probably (eagerly) expecting this very story to come brimming with scandal and conspiracy, I already had a gut feeling this time that Rothschild’s life would reveal itself to be slightly more mundane than we would expect from a member of his infamous lineage (… and I still feel that my gut instinct was ultimately correct)...

Although Rothschild was indeed an elite globalist who ran in all the same circles as your usual suspects (Heinz and Klaus, etc.), he never really struck me as one who was leading the charge. Perhaps it was some of that aforementioned fasting or good will that informed my judgment, but in Lord Jacob Rothschild I actually saw a man who was driven more by the duties of his name, and the responsibilities bestowed upon his titles, than someone driven by any maniacal ambitions of ruling the world (… sorry to disappoint). And some might even say that he was actually a product of the machine more so than any kind of grand architect... The following then, summarizes what I was able to uncover about this enigmatic figure.

The Life and Works of a True Blue Blood

On the 26th of February the IAA was shocked to hear that another “beloved” member of the elite had died (many of us expected that he’d live for at least another decade). Lord Jacob Rothschild, the 4th Baron Rothschild, died of natural causes. He was a ripe old eighty-seven years of age. But who was the 4th Baron Rothschild? What did he have in common with his predecessors? In what ways did he differ from them? Belonging to arguably the most powerful family in the world must have come with its responsibilities and opportunities, so what did Lord Jacob do to shape the elite and the world that they continue to oversee?

Unlike Kissinger and Attali, political turbulence would not be an influential factor in Rothschild’s upbringing and political vision. Being born into arguably the wealthiest family in history, Lord Jacob lived a life of luxury from the moment he was born. Lord Jacob’s branch of the Rothschild family tree can, of course, be traced back to Mayer Amschel Rothschild, who established a banking empire in the late 18th century Germany. Mayer would quickly accumulate wealth and power, through both shrewd business deals and political alliances that allowed him to climb the social ladder. Lord Jacob was born into this legacy as the fourth generation of the British branch of the family, and being the 4th Baron, he was tasked with continuing its legacy. He was educated at Eton and then later Oxford, and after graduating with his degree, would go straight into the family business of banking.

After years of working at N.M. Rothschilds & Sons, he succeeded his uncle, Sir Evelyn de Rothschild, as the investment bank’s chairman in 1976. Alongside his role in the family business, Lord Rothschild was involved in various other business activities in the financial and banking sector. He co-founded what is now called St. James's Place Wealth Management, and also co-founded and served as chairman of the investment trust RIT Capital Partners plc. One of the core roles of being a patriarch in the Rothschild family is ensuring that the family’s status and wealth is healthy, maintained, and ever-expanding, and Lord Jacob was very successful at this.

Following his father’s death, Lord Jacob was made a Peer (which means member of the House of Lords in the UK Parliament). However, unlike some members of his family, Lord Jacob was not overly interested in political activism. He became a member of the House of Lords for hereditary reasons, and sat in the House as a cross-bencher, meaning he did not want to back any of the main parties. It is actually incredibly difficult to find details of his political career, as he did not use his position in the House of Lords to openly support or oppose particular political issues. If we want to speculate, this might have been for very liberal reasons. It is likely that Lord Jacob did not believe in hereditary power, viewing it as ‘undemocratic’, and so did not want to “abuse” his privileges by taking to the House of Lords to vote.

This liberal instinct is supported by his theological beliefs. Lord Jacob belonged to the Reform Judaism movement, which is a progressive Jewish movement that emphasizes reforming Judaism to stay relevant to modern cultural and social beliefs. Reform Judaism allows for female Rabbis, is “pro-choice” on abortion, and usually openly supports gay marriage. Also related to Lord Jacob’s theology was that he was deeply pro-Israel and a Zionist, donating the new Supreme Court building to the Israeli government in 1992. From these small but significant details, we can quickly see how Lord Jacob’s politics align with many of the neoliberal elites of the 20th Century.

It is also important to make a note of the sort of people that—even if he was rather discreet about his politics—Lord Jacob chose to associate with. It was Lord Jacob who, just a few months before his own death, hosted a 100th birthday party for Henry Kissinger at his beloved country estate, Waddesdon Manor. Among the guests were the likes of Tony Blair, Rupert Murdoch, and Michael Bloomberg. Lord Jacob may have been a much more timid and private figure, but there is no doubt at all that he was very much in bed with the usual globalist elites.

Lord Jacob’s main concern appeared to be with matters of philanthropy. One of his main philanthropic interests was in medicine and healthcare. He was involved in funding initiatives aimed at advancing scientific understanding and finding cures for various diseases. His support for medical research and healthcare placed a great focus on areas such as cancer research, neurological disorders, and public health. A lot of this stuff seems pretty harmless, but it does not take long until we uncover more questionable philanthropic ventures. For instance, Lord Jacob was also involved in funding many ‘climate research’ projects. Lord Jacob advocated for international cooperation on climate change, and he appealed to many globalist organizations, such as the UN and the EU, to work together in order to “solve” the “climate crisis”. True-to-form for any modern day plutocrat, Rothschild was a champion for the oncoming global managerial state, where all conceivable solutions to any of humanity’s problems would hypothetically be overseen by centralized global committees of “experts” and bureaucrats (which the plutocrats and global elites will, of course, then be in charge of overseeing)…

The Real Inheritance of a Rothschild…

But to be honest with you, dear readers, it was actually quite difficult for me to get much REAL DIRT on old Lord Jacob. He was obviously the kind of liberal new-age globalist you would expect for a man of his position and power, but he kept his head down when it came to many political issues. This may seem disappointing at first, but in a very odd way, I came to realize that this actually reveals a lot about the global elite.

To understand what this reveals, it is worth revisiting the works of one of the IAA’s old go-to’s: Bertrand de Jouvenel. One thing that de Jouvenel expressed was how, in modern politics, we see concentrations of power that are presented as ‘liberal progress’, but actually result in more influence and force than any monarch or dictator of old could have even conceived of in their wildest dreams. In this particular case of Jacob Rothschild, what we see is essentially the raising of a liberal techno-aristocrat—a member of a ruling class that derives its power from ‘technicity’ (the ever-increasingly technical nature of the way we operate in the world). Even though politics was clearly not his natural passion, it was required of him by virtue of his family name and his birthright.

It’s strange, isn’t it, that your average liberal will tell us this is an age of progress, equality, and democracy, yet disinterested, mundane figures like Lord Jacob are plunged into the center of political debates, institutional power, and philanthropy (major funding for scientific and academic research), simply for being born into a certain family? Even his views were hereditary… To be a Rothschild (or a Rockefeller or a Bush) requires that you not only indulge in politics to some extent, but also that you hold a certain globalist viewpoint. This was not even common among the aristocracies of old, and yet normies expect us to believe that this new techno-aristocracy is democracy in action?

What we see today with people like Lord Jacob Rothschild is the establishment of a new aristocracy, but one that is rooted in a technocratic-managerial ideology (a dictatorship and religion of “science”) rather than the old Christian values of the West. Instead of concentrating their power in local land, production, and farming, the new techno-aristocrats concentrate their power in technology, scientific research, and bureaucratic philanthropy. Just like the aristocrats of old, their positions and power are hereditary and un-elected, however, their views now are based in a religion of the ‘New Man’. They do not see themselves as servants of God in a great chain of being, but instead as the new gods of a new mankind—transhumanist and ‘enlightened’. Their aim is not to shepherd people in accordance with the natural order of God, but to create a new order altogether in their own image.

Lord Jacob was not an ideological maniac, but he did carry on what was required of him by his role as a techno-aristocrat within modern society. He maintained the family bank account, ensuring the flourishing and stability of his family estate, whilst also contributing to the liberal globalism that his estate necessitated of him. These are the very “princes of men” we are warned not to put our faith in (Psalm 146). To be fair to the average ‘global citizen’, many of them do not—they simply have no choice but to follow along with the agenda that is put forth by them. In fact, most of them do not even realize it, as unlike the aristocrats of old, you almost cannot see the new techno-aristocrats. They are hidden behind special security, private meetings, and exclusive conferences (like Bilderberg), only presenting themselves to the village peasantry on computer screens when bearing propaganda and false promises.

Finding Escape and Salvation

With the new techno-aristocrats being so untouchable and hidden, how then do we break their spell? In the past a tyrannical king or lord might have been beheaded or ousted by a peasant’s revolt or by his own court (many, many such cases). But the new ruling class are much more mysterious, and much more unaccountable… We can no longer even wait for old age to take them, as the new aristocratic class’ political beliefs are just as hereditary as their titles and their wealth. Most people do not even realize this—they are in ignorant bliss of how everything from their work life to their religious beliefs are all being molded by the politics of this inter-generational elite upper class. The institutions and charities that shape our society, from Planned Parenthood to the World Economic Forum, are all hand-selected or often even founded, by these new aristocrats. If then, we choose to remain philosophically modern and materialist in our thinking, believing that the world can only be shaped by economic power and political control, we may very quickly become ‘doomers’ (“I’m gonna DOOOOM!”), ultimately realizing there is no escape from the-powers-that-be…

But this does not have to be the way. It is important to remember that we are not just hopelessly trapped in the world of material forces and the will-to-power. When Jesus was crucified, and His disciples saw that He was dead, there was a noticeable lack of hope according to the Gospels. As Christ was dying on the cross, He was also mocked by those that had the stranglehold on power over the society of the time. The Romans and the Pharisees alike mocked Christ and took great pleasure in His torture… But, within a split second, the empty tomb reversed all of that “DOOM-ing”! Christ’s Resurrection was the beginning of humanity’s salvation, and a reorienting of the collective Man away from that very world of fear, strife, and death, that we seemed trapped in (see Hebrews 2:14-15), and decisively towards the eschatological Kingdom of Heaven. Christ shows us exactly where to place our hope when the world seems to offer no escape…

Meanwhile, the life of Jacob Rothschild was more symbolic of this all-consuming nature of the world of fear and death, than it was of him as an individual. In many ways, I even found myself having sympathy for him. During my research here in the IAA UK Library, I often found myself reading about a kindly old man who just wanted to cure cancer and use his philanthropy for good (… as misguided as some of his efforts may have been). Unlike Kissinger—even as I write this after reflecting on my research—it is hard to see the monster that lurks within Lord Jacob. But being one of the patriarchs of the Rothschild family, he had quite literally inherited an ideology and a praxis. He was tasked with caring for the Rothschild estate and legacy, and that included its ideological collateral too. When we consider his long life, it might make us despair at the fact that even someone within the elite circles—even a man who was fairly politically-passive like Lord Jacob—was not able to break free from his shackles. In a world that is supposedly more liberal than ever, Jacob Rothschild’s life presents to us the brutal realities of how unbreakable the chains of the global elite, their technocratic system, and the all-consuming nature of the modern world, really are. It is a system where a hero will not save us, even if they have the distinct advantage of being born within the elite (again, Psalm 146). What we need then is hope; what we need is the Resurrection! 

Furthermore, when we remember the lives of the elite, we should also remember the following words of Christ: “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you” (Luke 6:27-28). Lord Jacob’s life teaches us that often our enemies are just as ensnared in the trap of modernity as we are. They are caught in a spinning wheel that they did not set in motion, that is bigger than any one man, but that they too must roll with nonetheless. Though it may be hard to do so, we must pray for these people. For we do share at least one thing in common with the likes of Rothschild and Kissinger, if nothing else: that only God can deliver us from evil…