Untangling the Origins of Racism: Economic Profiteering is the Catalyst, Not the Reason
Today, our society worldwide wrestles with the pervasive challenge of racism. Despite often being perceived as a self-contained and self-feeding entity, it’s crucial to delve into its roots. Those who perpetuate it are incentivized to pretend that it’s either non-existent, past, or improving.
As highlighted by Ta-Nehisi Coates, one of my favorite authors and activist, racism is not the father but rather the child of economic profiteering. I want to examine the historical support and how economic motives have fueled the birth and longevity of racism, ultimately leaving unforgettable and painful clawed impressions on communities everywhere.
Genesis, not the Book, but Maybe!
To understand the complicated connection between racism and economic interests, we must explore the historical context in which it was born. The age of exploration for resources from new and foreign lands spawned by the Doctrine of Discovery, a 15th Century Papal Bull, and the subsequent colonization era provided fertile ground for economic exploitation.
European powers sought to expand their empires and amass wealth to live like their royals, resulting in the brutal exploitation and genocide of indigenous populations in various regions. In this pursuit of economic gain, the seeds of racism were sown to justify and legitimize these exploitative practices of people everywhere who were not of European origin or Christian.
Racism as a Means of Control
As colonization extended its reach, racism matured into an instrument of control, further enabling economic profiteering. The conception of racial superiority emerged, fueling notions of cultural and biological hierarchy. Pseudoscience enabled market propaganda.
Many poorer Europeans, as is the case today, were often happy to accept these notions of race because it gave them hope of someday reaching the privileges of their monarchy in resources. This divisive attitude served to subdue resistance and rebellion among oppressed communities, ensuring a continuous flow of resources back to the colonizing powers.
The Transatlantic Slave Trade
One of the most disgusting manifestations of economic profiteering and racism was the transatlantic slave trade. People from Africa were kidnapped, shackled in iron and chains, shipped across the Atlantic huddled like sardines in a can, and forcibly enslaved upon arrival on American soil. They were regarded merely as commodities or livestock to be bought and sold. Racism played a pivotal role in dehumanizing them and justifying their inhumane treatment by people of European origin.
Racism continues today to deaden the conscience of believers in whiteness and consume their sense of empathy, even while they vigorously deny that they have this condition and preach that they are “good.” The labor of these enslaved individuals enriched European nations and America and contributed significantly to their economic growth.
Industrialization and Systemic Racism
With the onset of industrialization, racism took on new proportions. As societies evolved, systems of oppression and discrimination became deeply entrenched, leading to the institutionalization of racism. Economic interests memorialized segregation, prohibiting entrepreneurship, wage disparities, violence, and unequal opportunities for marginalized communities, ensuring the continued dominance of those in control.
“If Blacks were successful and actually were visibly prosperous, that made them a target. Some of the violence might have been triggered by this economic envy,” said Shanks, director of community engagement at the University of Michigan’s School of Social Work. She explains that some White Americans thought, “How can we make sure that we reserve these economic benefits and opportunities for the White population and our children and push Blacks out so there can be more for us.” CNN
Where any non-white people prospered despite the odds or even seemed to prosper, they would be savagely attacked by white people believing that black people should never have anything and should only exist to serve them or not exist at all. They used any excuse to form gangs and murder black people.
Modern Implications
Though many societies have made strides in combatting racism, its legacy endures in modern times. Economic disparities persist among racial and ethnic groups, reflecting the lingering consequences of historical exploitation.
Social racism—a form of apartheid—keeps people of different races from forming relationships and intermarriages freely. While such relationships occur, they nearly invariably have family or societal disapproval producing strain on the couples or friendships. Systemic racism remains a barrier to equal access to education, entrepreneurship, healthcare, housing, real estate ownership, farming, innovations, and employment opportunities.
Breaking the Cycle
To handle the root cause of racism, we must confront economic profiteering and dismantle systems constructed on oppression. By recognizing that racism is a consequence of economic interests rather than an inherent human condition, we can work toward collaborative healing and advancement. Empowering marginalized communities through equitable policies and inclusive practices can be a step toward breaking the cycle of racism. I will soon publish a workbook on racism to help people who want to be better in the world.
Racism, though deeply implanted in history, is not an unchangeable force. Understanding its origins in economic profiteering is vital to confronting the problem head-on. By recognizing this connection and challenging systems of oppression, we pave the way for a more just and inclusive world. Only through harmony, empathy, and collective action can we liberate ourselves from the bonds of racism and build a future based on equality, dignity, respect, and shared prosperity for all.
