It arose in part because of the usury laws which in early medieval Europe forbade the charging of interest between Christians, just as Muslim law does today. Jewish law also forbade the charging of interest within their community. The result was that Jews could and would lend to Christians at interest, when no one else would. In the later medieval period Christian banking arose and made the Jewish influence less important.
The second important element was the restriction of the trades which Jews could practice. Even into the early modern period, generally up to 1812 and the Code Napoleon,there were laws restricting the trades Jews could practice, and informal barriers existed until after WWII. One of the few trades allowed was that of Goldsmith. Goldsmiths had long been informal bankers because they had secure strongrooms. The Jewish system of letters of credit meant that you could bank in Frankfurt and collect your money in Vienna. Again, rather like the informal banking system still in use in the Muslim world. The history of the Rothschild family is instructive. From their father's Ghetto goldsmith's business and role as business adviser to the small County of Hannau, the brothers spread across the major nations of Europe establish a banking network in the capitals of Paris, London, Vienna, Frankfurt and Naples. The big breakthrough came when the House of Rothschild were given the job of raising war bonds for the British in the Napoleonic Wars. The Rothschilds became bankers to many rulers in Europe, but it was the loose network family connections which meant they could raise funds more efficiently than others, and this meant mutual trust reinforced by marriage alliances between the different branches.
In a way, yes. The question is: why?
During the middle ages wealth was measured by land. You were rich if you own a lot of real estate. Jews were forbidden to own land, and many jobs. Anything to do with money was seen as evil, so that they were allowed to do. By the time the middle ages ended, a lot of Jews were in banking business.
It is the same for gays: not all gays are by definition ballet dancers or hairdressers. But they were accepted as they were in those professions, without the usual harassment.
I'm not really sure that your statement is either valid or invalid. That being said, in medieval times usury was considered a sin by the Catholic Church. Consequently, most Christians were barred from the practice of money lending. That same religious prohibition did not apply to Jews.
Why have Hispanics been involved in construction disproportionally in the US? It's just the way it is.
Who says they have been? Where is your data to support that statement?
