Racism: a Short History Essay example -- Race Racism Essays

Racism: a Short History George Fredrickson makes an argument ultimately against the dichotomy between civilization and savagery, specifically the resurgence of ethnoreligious bigotry that, according to him, replaces 20th century race theory in order to justify continued inequities and sociopolitical oppression worldwide in Racism: A Brief History. His book delineates the rise of modern race theory, beginning in Medieval Europe and synthesizing an explanation for the existence and success of the overtly racist regimes, the United States, South Africa, and Nazi Germany. Fredrickson cautions, however, that racism can easily become interchangeable with religious bigotry when facing corporatism that aims to alienate, marginalize, and devalue human beings as mere consumers with little agency or any collective sense of identity. Racism's ultimate goal, according to Fredrickson, is to establish a permanent hierarchal order that, "has two components: difference and power." Fredrickson's analysis is probably one of the most direct and functional definitions of racism that I have run across in a while. His delineation reads, My theory or conception of racism, therefore has two components: difference and power. It originates from a mindset that regards "them" as different from "us" in ways that are permanent and unbridgeable. This sense of difference provides a motive or rationale for using our power advantage to threat the ethnoracial Other in ways that we would regard as cruel or unjust if applied to members of our own group. The possible consequences of this nexus of attitude and action range from unofficial but pervasive social discrimination at one end of the spectrum to genocide at the other . . . In all manifestatio... ...ention to suggest, on any level, that religion does not remain one of the defining elements of political power in this country. Race, as an immediate and visual discriminatory practice however, is seen played out much more plainly and it only seems to make sense to close with Justice Harry Blackmun's 1978 decision to uphold affirmative action. In order to get beyond racism, we must first take account of race. There is no other way. And in order to treat some persons equally, we must treat them differently. We cannot - we dare not - let the Equal Protection clause perpetuate racial supremacy. (Fredrickson, 143). Works Cited Churchill, Ward. A Little Matter of Genocide: Holocaust Denial in the Americas, 1492 to the Present. San Francisco: City Lights Books, 1997. Fredrickson, George. Racism: A Short History. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2002.

Nigeria Essay

The Nigerian economy is most definitely a structured political economy similar to that of the United States. The term political economy examines the relationship between politics and economics in modern societies. Specifically, this relationship consists of a key alliance between the government and the economy which are manipulated by the capitalist class in order to serve all of their own interests. The capitalist class however can be further broken down into a ruling class that holds the greatest power ot only among its military governmental branches, but also the business and finance sectors. This is seen in the American society, specifically in the neoliberal policies implemented by the capitalist class system which wishes to privatize and deregulate different markets in order to continue to prosper. Yet, this is not the same as the Nigerian State has ownership over everything. The Nigerian military government and its elite ruling class have come together to create a powerful force hat has exploited people, land, labor, resources and markets. The class structure created by the Nigerian governmental system is the fundamental cause of their peoples’ poverty, and the global political economy produces an increase in unjust social relations in class, race, and even ecological systems. As Nigeria consists of a wealthy class which seeks wealth by any means, it is hard to see how a country like this can evolve much more until corruption is taken out of everyday elationships of the upper class. However, there is great hope at the same time, because Nigeria is a country that has learned to make positive changes and learned from many of these changes, such as the democratization of the Nigerian state. Nigeria has learned to adapt and deal with many of their national issues, therefore if necessary changes are made in order to diversify the wealth produced by the exploited economy. The â€Å"national cake† can be shared to benefit the social order of the society as a whole.

Slavery And The Underground Railroad And Martin Luther...

Slavery has and always will be considered an intolerable and inhumane part of our history. We all have some knowledge about slavery; some maybe more than others. I’m sure we all remember as a child learning about the Underground Railroad and Martin Luther King Jr. during Black History Month in February. When you read â€Å"Africans in America: Judgment Day–Part 4: 1831 – 1865†, it will shed light on several historical events that you might not be aware of. The information obtained in this article will take you in-depth on actual events that one might find strikingly interesting. In the section Map: From Coast to Coast you will find that there were over 2 million slaves in the United States, and surprisingly enough, were worth over a billion dollars. One might make the mistake and assume that all white southerners were slave owners. But in fact, 75 percent didn’t own slaves. That means only a small number of people owned slaves; and the ones who did only owned about 20 slaves. I find this compelling. I assumed everyone had plantations with numerous slaves. One may raise the question, how did slavery last so long if only a hand full of wealthy planters were benefiting from slaves? When you think of marriage, what comes to mind? Love, commitment, unity and teamwork would all fall in that category. In section Antebellum Slavery it talks about a couple by the name of Frances Anne (Fanny) Kemble and Pierce Butler that might not agree so much. They actually thought they could changeShow MoreRelatedThe Political Movement Of The Late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.921 Words   |  4 Pageson the political movement of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. â€Å"On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr., delivered a speech to a massive group of civil rights marchers gathered around the Lincoln memorial in Washington DC. The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom brought together the nation’s most prominent civil rights leaders, alon g with tens of thousands of marchers, to press the United States government for equality, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr (August 28, 1963).† The environment at thatRead More The Black Community Essay1212 Words   |  5 Pagesblacks have been treated the poorest out of all races. Although everyone under God is to be treated equal, whites thought of themselves as being the superior race. In 1619 a Dutch ship brought 20 slaves to America and it took nearly 240 years for slavery to end in 1865(Ronald, , para. 3).These helpless slaves were taken to America and put to work growing anything from cotton to tobacco. Slaves had absolutely no rights. They were simply property of their â€Å"Massa’.† Being disrespectful to a white manRead MoreCivil Disobedience And The United States889 Words   |  4 PagesCongress in the fight for American independence. This event was only the beginning of civil disobedience in the nation. The Underground Railroad was also a vital act of civil disobedience in the United States of America. The Fugitive Slave Act was passed by Congress as part of the Compromise of 1850 between southern slave states and the northern states which opposed slavery; After Congress added yet another component which stated that if any slave was found in a certain radius from home, the slaveRead MoreHistory of Civil Rights in America Essay1515 Words   |  7 Pagesand whites. As African-Americans began to grow more bold and created ties to one another the Underground Railroad was formed to help slaves escape the South into free northern states and Canada. One of the most famous conductors of the Underground Railroad was Harriet Tubman. â€Å"In the 12 years from her escape in 1849 to the beginning of the Civil War in 1861, Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad became the most dominant force of abolitionism† (â€Å"Women in History†, 2012). She was known to manyRead MoreWh at I Have Learned in American Government Roots and Reform1474 Words   |  6 Pagesbus to a white passenger. In response to her arrest the Montgomery black community launches a bus boycott, which lasted for more than a year, until the buses diced to desegregated in Dec. 21, 1956. Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., was instrumental in leading the bus boycott. Martin Luther King, Charles K. Steele, and Fred L. Shuttlesworth establish the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, of which MLK is made the first president. The SCLC becomes a major force in organizing the civil rightsRead MoreAfrican American1129 Words   |  5 Pagesand other parts of the South (The New York Public Library,  n.d.). Although we are most familiar with the documented 1619 arrival, in which Africans were brought to the United States aboard a Dutch ship to Jamestown, Virginia for the purpose of slavery. In the 17th century, the United States nation began to grow and white European settlers need more laborers for the production of crops, like cotton and tobacco. In 1793 the cotton industry began to grow. Cheap labor was needed for the tediousRead MoreSlavery within the Eyes of Frederick Douglass Essay1026 Words   |  5 PagesWhat would it be like if we were a part of the slave years? To get an inside look of slavery we look through the eyes of a former slave Frederick Douglass. Through his experience of being grown into slavery in the south made him re-evaluate his life knowing he was worth more than being treated as someone else’s property. Not only was Douglass a part of the plantation system, city life, and brutal whipping but he was put into history as a great role model defining the true meaning of life. All peopleRead MoreSlavery and Its Effects on the U.S. Today1378 Words   |  6 PagesThere has always been hostility between different groups of people, in the 17th -19th centuries this was no different. This was the time of slavery in the New World. During this time people from Africa were enslaved and brought to the colonies of North America. They were then forced to work under harsh conditions. Although this is a painful memory in our country s past, without it we wouldn t be the country we are today. America is an advanced country with a great government, however duringRead MoreSlavery Essay1277 Words   |  6 Pages Slavery quot;We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happinessquot; (Thomas Jefferson). Slavery Slavery in America stems well back to when the new world was first discovered and was led by the country to start the African Slave Trade- Portugal. The African Slave Trade was first exploited for plantationsRead MoreRichard Allen s Freedom Of Religion1321 Words   |  6 PagesIt was a time where slavery and racism were at an all time high in America when Richard Allen bought his freedom from his master in 1786. He had been born into slavery in 1760 and was sold with his family to a new master at a very young age. This in itself was fortunate since many slave families were separated when they were sold. Allen would go on to become the founder of the first national black church in the United States and become one of the most influential black leaders and activists in America