[PEN-L:8727] Re: Marx and 19th century racism

[Rod Hay <rodhay@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

My definition of racism is slightly different that that propagated in
liberal circles.

Race does not exist it has no material component. There is no biological
difference among people that can be used as the bases of defining races.
Race is simply an idea. It is idealist to use an idea to explain human
history.

Most liberals who decry racism, think that race does exist, but that we
should not use that as a criteria for judging. Post-modernists (the ultimate
liberals) claim we should recognize differences but not give priority to any
particular group. In this context, "Race exist, but we should treat all as
equally valuable."

The coexistence of slavery and christianity required the invention of racial
theory. Christianity (especially its Protestant version) teaches that all
are equal before God. Love thy enemy and numerous statements of the kind.
The actual practice of slavery in juxtaposition of this type of thinking
creates a cognitive dissonance which most of course were unconcern with but
some found disturbing and proceeded to explain away by resorting to "racial
theory" If the slave on what ever criterion could be considered as less that
human, slavery could be justified.

Other society has racism, but because this cognitive dissonance did not
arise did not need to justify they actions by a formal theory of race.
Instead we get the hindu justification of caste. The chinese distinction
between them and the "barbarians". And any number of other examples.

Henry's statements were "racist" in the sense that he appeared to think that
race exists and that it could be used to explain behaviour. In this case the
behaviour of Europeans.

This is quite different from Charles' claim that the idea of race leads to
certain behaviours which are undesirable. This is of course true. And we
should be working on common strategies to combat it. I think the first is to
vigourously attack the idea that races exist. Expose the "myth of race".
Emphasis what all people have in common. Promote understanding that people
around the globe have different ways of providing their psychological and
social needs; that these different "cultures" are valid insofar as they
provide for real human needs. I.e, that the needs are universal but the
methods of meeting them vary. This way we have a standard upon which to
judge other cultures. "Are the needs of the people being met?" To take a
historical example, no longer valid, at one time it was customary to bind
the feet of some chinese women. This is a practice that people no matter
what their background can criticise because it is clear that these women
will not be able to develop their full potential as human beings.

Another example more current. There was in Toronto for a while, a group of
young "black" men who criticise others for engaging in the "white"
educational system--for "trying to be "white."" This political position can
be criticise by anyone because it is clearly the dead end philosophy of
defeatism. For all its imperfections the educational system does allow
people to develop some of their intellectual potential--much more that
withdrawal would. I would say instead, let's develop concrete proposals for
improving the educational system for every one who is involved in it.
Broaden the curriculum to include non European writers. Everyone would
benefit from this.

So to sum up it is racist to think that races exist. It is racist to think
that "race" can explain behaviour.



Rod Hay
rodhay@xxxxxxxxxxx
The History of Economic Thought Archives
http://socserv2.mcmaster.ca/~econ/ugcm/3ll3/index.html
Batoche Books
http://members.tripod.com/rodhay/batochebooks.html
http://www.abebooks.com/home/BATOCHEBOOKS/





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