Marxism 101 - Where does racism come from?

Introduced by Sydney socialist activist and former NUS National Ethno-Cultural officer Hersha Kadkol.

Racism is a massive injustice reviled by most left-wing people. In Australia, we’re unlucky enough to live in one of the most racist countries in the world. But across the globe, racist nationalism has prominent political representation and far right thugs are gathering in the streets. Worse, white supremacists are secretly plotting terror against racial minorities; all while the treatment of refugees, Muslims, immigrants and Indigenous people by governments is becoming increasingly vicious.

Why does racial inequality exist? Is it the inevitable response to difference or the product of hateful ideas? Or is something deeper and more structural at play? Moreover, how can we rid society of this scourge?

Come to this session to find out the roots of racism in the capitalist system of exploitation, war and oppression and how a united revolutionary struggle can achieve a society without racism.

Readings

Introductory:

Kate Jeffreys, “The link between capitalism and racism”, Red Flag, https://redflag.org.au/article/link-between-capitalism-and-racism

Tess Lee Ack, “Who is to blame for racism in Australia?”, Marxist Left Review, No. 4 Winter 2012,

https://marxistleftreview.org/articles/who-is-to-blame-for-racism-in-australia/

Esme Choonara, “Can implicit bias explain racism?”, Socialist Review, March 2019, http://socialistreview.org.uk/444/can-implicit-bias-explain-racism

Origins of racism:

Lance Selfa, “Slavery and the origins of racism”, International Socialist Review, No. 26 Nov-Dec 2002, http://www.isreview.org/issues/26/rootsofracism.shtml

Antony Hamilton, “Why our rulers created racism”, Socialist Review, June 2017, http://socialistreview.org.uk/425/why-our-rulers-created-racism

Modern racism:

Richard Seymour, “The changing face of racism”, International Socialism Journal, No. 26, https://isj.org.uk/the-changing-face-of-racism/

Marxism and anti-racism:

Weyman Bennett, “Marxism shows how we can uproot racism”, Socialist Worker UK, https://socialistworker.co.uk/art/42354/Marxism+shows+how+we+can+uproot+racism

Alex Callinicos, “Race and class”, International Socialism Journal, 2 No. 55 Summer 1992,

https://www.marxists.org/history/etol/writers/callinicos/1992/xx/race-class.html

The Marxist attitude to race and identity:

Alex Callinicos, “Marxism and the struggle against racism”, at Race, class and identity conference May 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?timecontinue=227&v=PI3roT4mUA&feature=emb_title

Yuri Prasad, “Race, class and identity”, Socialist Review, June 2019, http://socialistreview.org.uk/447/race-class-and-identity ”