Racism as we know it was actually created in colonial times as a method to control the lower class

When most people first learn about racism, it is normally that "some people think that (insert race her) is not as good as our race." or something along those lines. But this was not just a natural emotion that people always felt towards other races. When the first white settlers came to the New World with their black servants, they were considered in the same class as white indentured servants brought over from Europe to work on plantations and such. This was not to say that they were treated with much respect, both black and white servants were the low class, and the people who owned them were very rich. There was a mutual respect between the poor blacks and whites though. They understood their situations were the same and did not take color into mind in their daily lives. There was even a relatively large number of interracial marriage. This was now a large united group of poor people. An obvious problem that would arise from a situation with a large number poor and disenfranchised is that they would revolt against the small number of people who owned them. The owners needed a way to control this, to take away the unity they had. One thing that would dissolve their unity would be to divide them by race. But they had to make sure that the two groups chose to hate each other. To do this they gave the white indentured servants a miniscule amount of money and maybe a tiny amount of extra food. They might be given a slightly easier job and some would be made into overseers, who would whip the workers etc. Now the white indentured servants are being told that this new better treatment is because they are better than the black slaves because the white race is superior and meant to be in charge. Now even though both groups, the poor white servants and the poor black slaves are in the same terrible situation, both still living like animals in housing not fit for horses, even with all of these obvious similarities, both groups see the other as the bad race. Thus the birth of modern racism. The method of controlling the lower class of all colors still works today. It is quieter and politically correct, but politically correct racism is still racism.

This may not seem important at first glance, but it is this kind of racism that is prevalent today. In cities such as Buffalo in New York State, USA, there are major racial divisions depending which part of the city you find yourself in. And the three that stand out most are the west side, east side, and south side. The south side is mostly white, east is mostly black, and west is mostly hispanic. These are all working class parts of the city. Obviously this does not go for everyone in these parts of the city, but racism from each side towards the other two can be seen. As I said this is by no means a generalization about any of these people as a whole, I am only using these parts of the city because they are the most obviously racially divided. Now having known many people from all parts of town, I have known some people who are racist from all three of these parts of the city. It was always interesting because each group always seemed to think that the other two were so much better off. Even though all three groups had the same problems and the same worries and pretty much the same income and lives, they all believed that the other side had it better. In reality the upper class is still reaping the reward from this. With people still focused on what another group of poor people may or may not have that is better than what they themselves have, the upper class is still able to buy whatever policies it wants from congress and the lower class cannot unite to vote in politicians that are willing to look out for them. If people realized how much power they have when we are all united then there would be a lot less issues with politicians only looking out for the rich.

I appreciate your work in this area, TruePatriot. Many of us realize these very barriers only exist if you let them, but living out equality is often difficult because of where one lives, as you pointed out.

Talking about it, educating ourselves, and continuing to be good to one another, respectful, and having the best interests of the whole in mind will continue to heal the breach, at least in those interested in healing it.

Respect is another form of philos, or brotherly love, a thing much prized in the history of mankind and so very precious and meaningful today.

My respect to you, for stepping forward with this insightful and timely thread.

Though I cannot get on board with the idea that racism is a construct of any kind, I think the concept of a supposed contrivance of socioeconomic competition among the least wealthy for the purpose of subjugation is interesting.

It would seem like a useful tool for a group attempting a power grab - a self propagating destructive social force after initially set in motion.

An interesting theory, but I think the reality is that what the OP described is a natural social phenomenon rather than an intentional consequence. I'm drawing Occam's Razor on this one.

I'm also pretty sure that the reason one group is opposed to the other socially is because they think they are better than the other, not the other way around.

yea, it was easy to identify slaves because of their complexion, so the dominant group, made the subordinates.

it sucks because the ripples are seen today.

the dominant group still exists, and the subordinates are still there, just called legal slavery *cough* minimum wage *cough*

it isnt limited to color anymore. its with who holds the resources and power, and who doesn't.

sociology 101.

I think creating a divide between people is a great way for the elite to maintain control. However, That being said, I'm frankly sick and tired of hearing the race card played so often. Yes racism is a problem but sometimes people don't see eye to eye for many different reasons. Gender, age, religion, nationality and culture or even differences in opinions, as seen here on ATS, can have similar effects. Accepting others for who they are regardless of their differences is key to human advancement. The key is to refrain from judging as much as possible.

I agree that race is something that makes it difficult for some people to see eye to eye, and I also understand that before being implemented as a system, racism existed. I was not trying to say that racism was a complete fabrication to keep the lower classes divided. However, before the upper class started to distinguish between the white and black servants in a financial way saying it was because whites deserve more, there was unity between the poor black and poor white. It was only after the upper class began these practices that the lower class started to blindly hate each other based on race. This shifted the lower class' frustrations from the upper class to other members of their own class based on what race they were. This was the beginning of modern racism. Though certain members of the upper class may have looked at members of the black race as inferior before all of this, they looked at the white lower class the same way. The lower class was not discriminatory based on race, at least not anywhere near to the extent that they would become after these new practices were picked up all over the New World. And since slavery (and as a side effect, racism) was an extremely important aspect of American life, the ripples are still felt today. There was no country in the world in which slavery was more important to the economy and way of life than America. And the only way the outnumbered rich people could keep control would be to set the lower class against each other.

reply to post by endlessknowledge


And to be clear, I do not want anyone to think that I made this thread to pass verdicts against racists. I only made this thread to discuss the idea that modern racism is in no way natural or bred into us. I only meant to show that a small group of powerful people were able to create a system that not only served their purpose to maintain control of the lower class during the times of slavery, but also has been so entrenched into everyday life, that the effects from these actions are not just still felt today, but they can still be seen walking through any major city in America.

reply to post by TruePatriot1685


Nonsense. It's a frequent topic in white literature for centuries - dark-skinned savages, etc. That is racism, and that existed for ages. Clearly the founding fathers thought of black people as less than whites, as otherwise they wouldn't have owned so many of them, and bought and sold them like sheep.

Racism is natural, as it is merely the result of ignorance. The less ignorant someone is, usually the less racist they are.

I will pass a verdict against racists - they are ignorant children lashing out against that which they don't know. It's disgusting, and we only have society at large to blame for it. Horrible business.

The truth is, human beings naturally develop racist-like attitudes as children as a result of the human capacity to differentiate and classify things. Children notice their own skin color, and those with different skin color, and because we generally like people who are like ourselves we see the obviously different other as inferior. The people of my tribe/family are nice all the time, while the people of other tribes/familes are nice some of the time.

And it doesn't matter who is doing the deciding. One of the reasons Chinese railroad workers worked so hard was because they wanted to save up enough money to send for their Chinese women. They thought white women were ugly and awful.

We all do it. It's a natural thing. Which is not to say that it's okay. Urinating is also a natural thing, but we don't have to do it in polite company.

[edit on 8-3-2010 by Blue Shift]

reply to post by TruePatriot1685



I have a vested interest in this….

It is generally held that racism begame as a justification of slavery. I am writing without note s so bear with me.

Columbus went over to the new world and put the indigenous Amerindians to work. The Amerindians were tempermentally and physically unsuited to slavery. The died in their drovews. At that Athiests were few and farm between. The Conqistadors were inherently cruel. Bartholemew De Las Casas documented some of the rough play they made pulling babies apart whilst on horseback etc.

wiki entry

en.wikipedia.org...

In order to manage the labour shortfall they used the Africans. Catholic theology immediately explained that the Indians had souls but it was very convenient that they claimed that the African had not souls as he was black. This then led to evolution of the code noire mentality and white supremamcy.

It was never just slavery as the entire world had slavery as it was a specific means of production just like capitalism. And feudalism. Even the ancient Egyptians had slavery. The association of slavery, skin colour and white supremacy which started as a Xtian religious doctrine was the start of modern slavery and it all came together in the new world. Before that people were strangers because they did not come from your village. They may have been odd compared to you but the doctrine of white supremacy was very new. If it was just a matter of brutality then it was a brutal time as feudalism predated slavery in the west. Indentured workers were also brutally treated be they the Chinese, the East Indians or even the British.

Even Shakespeare’s Othello has a different take on racism then is the modern take. Othello had a position of Othello and the moor was different in treatment to the American Negro. Africa was divided into the pagan kingdoms and the Xtian ones like Prester John.

So racism lay at the base of the modern system. A racism built on white supremacy. So what was left was the sliding scale or supremacy from white people down to the very darkest and yes light coloured black people looked down on their darker relatives.

Another myth was the American Falconhurst tradition of 1000s of slaves was fallacy most slave holders had under a dozen slaves. Slaves were an expensive commodity and frequently ate at the very least what their owners did. Unfortunately the problems was that the artist licence took over from the facts and gullible people got the wrong idea.



[edit on 8-3-2010 by Tiger5]

Racism" is an issue that will never die in America, given the history of America, and because of the US dominance of world media, thus the issue will never die and the world as a whole will hear what the US wants it to hear about racism. There are few ways to end a conversation more quickly than by bringing up racism in any vaguely positive form. Despite the extremity of racism as a topic, it remains a popular tool for achieving political unity and removing obstacles to global commerce.

Americans don't want to hear anything about it, having been dragged through the mud for a racially segregated past by the media, pop stars, writers and artists. Europe is tired of hearing about WWII and wants the problem to just go away. In short, racism is a taboo, or a subject which is not to be mentioned lest you get associated with the Un-American activity of political heresy. Why is race such an almost religiously attended issue?

First, there is the issue of history, in which race has constantly been a hot topic and a cause for conflict. But more importantly, the foundations of our society since the introduction of Judeo-Christian beliefs call for a celebration of the "individual." Christianity spoke of a personal relationship between "God" and the individual, who was then judged on the basis of his or her degree of moral rightness. After the Renaissance in Europe, this view became secularized into humanism, which inspired many of the fundamental tenets of the new American republic, including "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

At the basis of all of these beliefs is the assumption that humans are not physical beings, but souls connected to physical beings, and that while the exterior may have a wide range of appearances, the interior is essentially the same. This assumption was useful in handling the problem of evil in a world created by an omnipotent god; how could people be "evil" unless they were literally of another source or essence? In the secular liberal/humanist view, this justification is extended to the idea that all people and all decisions are "good," except for those which are specifically "bad."

In the modern time, democracy has made the upholding of these views more important. Because the number of people gathering behind any political idea gives it a chance of succeeding, demagoguery has become an accepted norm because of the convenience with which money can sway democratic societies. As a result, only the broadest base of appeals can support any idea, which means - as in movies and most books - that entreaties must apply to the grand ideas of emotion, visual aspect, or self-importance, or even better, all three. Thus racism has become another powerful method of manipulation, either by slandering an opponent or claiming to alleviate an "evil."

Many contend that race is only physical appearance, and that the soul or personality lies outside of genetics entirely. The other side comes back equally strong by advocating that humans are purely physical beings ("animals" in biological terms) and that there is no dualistic nature of consciousness: all thoughts originate in the physical mind. For proof of this they offer the differences in intelligence between children of highly intelligent parents and the norm. Accordingly, they claim race is important because unique genetic characteristics of body and consequently, mind, are passed along in each ethnicity.

In this they are correct: the risk of eliminating "racism" is that ethnicities and cultures may be lost. If those who created civilizations such as ancient Rome and Greece were correct, ethnicity and heritage are inseparable, and within those hierarchy is unavoidable. The human future which awaits may involve the merging of all races into a single normed population, at which point the distinct traits created over thousands of years of social differentiation are lost. However, society's pretense of "equality" is enforced and the newly enfranchised voters are pleased, and with their loss of pride in unique cultures, now make better consumers for products of multinational corporations.

reply to post by concernedcitizan


I actually think that the USA has improved over the last 100 years and continues to do so. Racism is onthe decline.

Of course the enemies of this improving trend are tghe demagogues of the white race and the black race as well of those of the right centre and left. If fact collumn inches can be bought by anyonwe playing the race card. I think that most people just get on fine mosyt of the time.

The media existys to sell itself so the 99% of days without racial incident are never reported because that would be the "no news day". Of course some of the buffooons are more than happy to get their mugs on the news..

besides the comming storm is going to affect over 90% of the population period.



[edit on 8-3-2010 by Tiger5]

I feel like I'm screwing up the point I was trying to make. I know that before the Americas were discovered that people were not completely tolerant of other races. But it is also apparent that the race was never as important in day to day life as it became once the American system of race based slavery, including the white indentured servants who became overseers. Before this, it was obvious that large groups of people in the lower class did not hold race to be an issue, as white and black slaves would organize revolts, they ran away together and started towns, segregation was not common. It was only after the American system developed to its maturity that there came such a division and race became something that decided what job you held, and what kind of compensation you received. The slave owners even took this malicious plan a step further and began to divide the blacks amongst each other by giving the lighter skinned of the blacks some small privilege or maybe an easier job. To make it worse, the slave owners also began dividing up tribes/nationalities/people who speak the same language. They would send different members of the same groups all to different plantations or cities so that there would be less communication among the slaves. All of this kept the lower class divided, kept up the hatred between blacks and whites and blacks amongst themselves (based on how light their skin color was). I'm sorry, the point I am trying to get across is that although racism existed before, after the perfection of the American slave system, racism took on a whole new quality and level of importance in American daily life. Because it existed this way for so long, although America has made great strides on the road to equality, the effects of this type of racism are so strong, that we do not even notice how much they are apparent.

Look at television, even though it too has improved. How many television comedy shows are about a white family? How many white models are in commercials for make-up and other beauty products? How many black women in those beauty commercials have straightened their hair? How many years was Friends (a television show that takes place in New York City) on before they introduced their first black character? Since racism has been such a large part of American life for so long, we do not even notice it all over the place. And I know it sounds like I'm just saying the same old thing but hear me out. All of those questions that I asked originally were not to point out the negatives of the media. I did that because i just wanted to point out an effect of those issues on young children. Because those issues won't mean much to adults because we can see around them. A study was done called the Clark Doll Experiment. In this study, black children were shown dolls one white, one black and asked a series of questions. one of the questions was which doll do you think is bad? Most of the children pointed to the black doll. That in itself is sad, but when they were asked the last question "which one do you look like?" most of them cried and ran away. ABC's Good Morning America did a similar test. The question that stood out most to me was which doll is the pretty one? 47% of the black girls said the white doll was the pretty one. This shows how the media, with commercials like those for some beauty products, and even though it may not know it is doing it, is causing feelings of superiority and inferiority (depending on race) in the young children of today's culture. This is a ripple from the beginning of the American slave system and also is helping to continue spreading feelings of racial superiority or inferiority among the youth of America.