Racism And Authority

[YSR]

I've been struggling to find the connection between race and authority. I know that racism is endemic to capitalism, and there are a thousand examples supporting this.

But a friend brought up the interesting point of the Roman Empire. A very authority-driven society, but he asserts that the slavery element wasn't racial, but rather nationalist.

So my question is: Does racism come about as a result of authority or as a result of capitalism? I'd be interested to hear posters views on this topic.

[YSR]

I've been struggling to find the connection between race and authority. I know that racism is endemic to capitalism, and there are a thousand examples supporting this.

But a friend brought up the interesting point of the Roman Empire. A very authority-driven society, but he asserts that the slavery element wasn't racial, but rather nationalist.

So my question is: Does racism come about as a result of authority or as a result of capitalism? I'd be interested to hear posters views on this topic.

[YSR]

I've been struggling to find the connection between race and authority. I know that racism is endemic to capitalism, and there are a thousand examples supporting this.

But a friend brought up the interesting point of the Roman Empire. A very authority-driven society, but he asserts that the slavery element wasn't racial, but rather nationalist.

So my question is: Does racism come about as a result of authority or as a result of capitalism? I'd be interested to hear posters views on this topic.

[More Fire for the People]

Racism is a means of perpetuating class differences. For instance, in early American society white slaves and black slaves were treated equally bad. The result? The whites and blacks intermixed — joining cultures, marrying, and having children togethor — and built up strong feelings of solidarity.

Then they started to rebel. To squash these slave rebellions the ruling class instituted a division between white servants and black slaves. When blacks alone started to rebel they divided them along the lines of 'field' slaves and 'house' slaves.

The same practice is used by the modern ruling class; however, to some extent the ruling class has ended radical racism. The ruling class needs a permanent underclass of poor laborers and a race-based division works well for them but they need live underclasses. This is why Black Liberation would be one of the biggest blows to the capitalists in America.

[More Fire for the People]

Racism is a means of perpetuating class differences. For instance, in early American society white slaves and black slaves were treated equally bad. The result? The whites and blacks intermixed — joining cultures, marrying, and having children togethor — and built up strong feelings of solidarity.

Then they started to rebel. To squash these slave rebellions the ruling class instituted a division between white servants and black slaves. When blacks alone started to rebel they divided them along the lines of 'field' slaves and 'house' slaves.

The same practice is used by the modern ruling class; however, to some extent the ruling class has ended radical racism. The ruling class needs a permanent underclass of poor laborers and a race-based division works well for them but they need live underclasses. This is why Black Liberation would be one of the biggest blows to the capitalists in America.

[More Fire for the People]

Racism is a means of perpetuating class differences. For instance, in early American society white slaves and black slaves were treated equally bad. The result? The whites and blacks intermixed — joining cultures, marrying, and having children togethor — and built up strong feelings of solidarity.

Then they started to rebel. To squash these slave rebellions the ruling class instituted a division between white servants and black slaves. When blacks alone started to rebel they divided them along the lines of 'field' slaves and 'house' slaves.

The same practice is used by the modern ruling class; however, to some extent the ruling class has ended radical racism. The ruling class needs a permanent underclass of poor laborers and a race-based division works well for them but they need live underclasses. This is why Black Liberation would be one of the biggest blows to the capitalists in America.

[TC]

So my question is: Does racism come about as a result of authority or as a result of capitalism? I'd be interested to hear posters views on this topic.

Racism is a result of class stratification along racial lines (with disproportional representation of races in different classes), as class reproduces itself.

This predates capitalism.

Putting the question of whether racism follows from authority or capitalism is a false dichotomy because authority follows from class relations and economics.

[TC]

So my question is: Does racism come about as a result of authority or as a result of capitalism? I'd be interested to hear posters views on this topic.

Racism is a result of class stratification along racial lines (with disproportional representation of races in different classes), as class reproduces itself.

This predates capitalism.

Putting the question of whether racism follows from authority or capitalism is a false dichotomy because authority follows from class relations and economics.

[TC]

So my question is: Does racism come about as a result of authority or as a result of capitalism? I'd be interested to hear posters views on this topic.

Racism is a result of class stratification along racial lines (with disproportional representation of races in different classes), as class reproduces itself.

This predates capitalism.

Putting the question of whether racism follows from authority or capitalism is a false dichotomy because authority follows from class relations and economics.

[YSR]

Valid point, Tragic. Thank you.

Can you show me some examples of ancient racism in practice? I'm not well read on my Classics so I can't think of any. For instance, racism that existed in the Roman Empire?