J'Accuse! Antisemitism and financial markets in the time of the Dreyfus Affair

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of Financial Economics
Year: 2024
Volume: 154
Issue: C

Authors (4)

Do, Quoc-Anh (not in RePEc) Galbiati, Roberto (Sciences Po) Marx, Benjamin (Boston University) Ortiz Serrano, Miguel A. (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 4 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We study the stock market performance of firms with Jewish board members during the “Dreyfus Affair” in 19th century France. In a context of widespread latent antisemitism, initial accusations made against the Jewish officer Alfred Dreyfus led to short-lived abnormal negative returns for Jewish-connected firms. However, investors betting on these firms earned higher returns during the period corresponding to Dreyfus' rehabilitation, starting with the publication of the famous op-ed J'Accuse! in 1898. Our conceptual framework illustrates how diminishing antisemitic biases among investors might plausibly explain these effects. Our paper provides novel insights on how antisemitism can increase and decrease over short periods of time at the highest socio-economic levels in response to certain events, which in turn can affect firm value in financial markets.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:jfinec:v:154:y:2024:i:c:s0304405x24000321
Journal Field
Finance
Author Count
4
Added to Database
2026-01-25