> While it is indirect and based in philosophy, you could try Cassirer's
> Myth of State. It outlines a series of background developments in
> European intellectual history that were involved in the construction
> of the German state. The last section is the most relevant, The Myth
> of the Twentieth Century: Carlyle, From Hero worship to race worship,
> Hegel, The technique of the modern political myths.
Thanks for the reference.
I've managed, though, to come to grips with my own confusion. The current myth of the US state and it's class relationships (with their own breed of scapegoating) have helped. But I see a need for a popular exposition of the tools and techniques employed in developing an environment conducive to genocide. (It's one of the reasons that I appreciate the popularity of conspiracy theory.)
The refusal of both the jew and roma to adopt state religions and their consequent(?) demonization by the state could make a popular drama. An HBO mini-series could address the issue along the lines of their other historical drama series 'rome' and 'elizabeth'. But I suspect that won't happen as long as there is a perception that there's a need for "an infected wound for Western civilization."
Martin