All ideologies may become, in Dostoevsky's metaphor, “demons,” “devils,” “bèssy,” — evil spirits that drive into a flock of swine and hurl them into the water to drown themselves. Yet ideology in the form of poisonous prejudice against race, class, religion, ethnic minority, or gender is often skillfully hidden behind deception and lies. In John Milton's words, it is “a certain clandestine Hostility covered over with the name of Peace.” Yawning abysses open up between words and deeds. These “Big Lies” then effectively sway many well-meaning, but naive, people.

An inquiry into the motivations of these ideologies shows that it is not so much what the hated one does that counts, but what he is. By the same token, the persecutor always strives to put the burden of guilt for