With the virulently anti-Semitic document The Protocols of the Elders of Zion in mind, Lisa pivots to discuss the famous –or to many, infamous– American industrialist, Henry Ford, who published a similarly virulent American newspaper, The Dearborn Independent. Was Max aware of Ford's anti-Semitism?
LISA: Were you aware at all of Henry Ford, and the paper he put out in the 1920's? Henry Ford, the guy who made all the cars?
MAX: What? No...
LISA: He was an extreme anti-Semite, and he put out a paper that talked about a Jewish conspiracy to overthrow the country.
MAX: See, I don't remember that! Henry Ford, labeled? Henry Ford an anti-Semite? Well, if you read it somewheres, it must be somewheres.
Max was completely unaware. (Was this evidence of Ford's notorious media manipulation skills?)
LISA: See, I'm finding all this out in terms of history books, in retrospect... it is obvious, we see it clearly, but when you're living it, you're not aware of it.
Max was teaching student-of-history Lisa a lesson in perspective. And that apparently contradictory viewpoints can paint a more complete picture.
MAX: Yeah, it passes by without noticing it. Especially, right after that, when Henry Ford became known, for another thing, because Henry Ford was the first one that gave benefits to his workers, and instead of the manufacture of automobiles or other devices, he knew only one thing, that he's gotta make a profit. In order to sell his products, he's gotta make profits, but Henry Ford brought in the idea that the manufacturer, meaning Henry Ford himself, is responsible for the well-being of his workers. And he has to see that the... membership should have benefits, like unemployment, but he did it in a different way. He didn't do it like afterwards, when there came unemployment insurance, he did it privately, only for his industry, for the automobiles. So he developed a system whereby his workers were protected... so much, so much, I don't remember, in other words Henry Ford brought in the idea of the manufacturer's responsibility to his workers. It's a big thing, yeah?
Today, it is generally agreed that Ford fought unions with exteme ferocity. But his most important settlements in specific cases were remarkably generous and fair. Both Max and Lisa were right.