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Theorists who hold a conflict perspective attribute racial and ethnic prejudice to the operation and benefit of capitalism. According to historical Marxists, racism (and racial consciousness) emerged at the precise historical time in which capitalism developed--in the 15th century. They argue that before the capitalist period, social group differences were not based on race but rather on culture (language, values, and customs), religion, and citizenship/property ownership. Racism emerged as an ideology (i.e., a system of values members of a society believe) to justify the exploitation of African slaves. In other words, the cultural belief in the racial inferiority of black people (racism) enabled capitalists and slave traders in pursuit of economic profit to enslave and subjugate people of African descent. In the Marxian analysis, racism is a fabrication, mythology, and ploy to maintain capitalist power relations. Thus the ideology of racism results from the underlying conflict between capitalists and laborers.

According to the conflict perspective, racism and ethnic prejudice emerge as a result of economic conflict between lower-income groups competing for the same jobs. For example, during the early period of U.S. industrialization (the mid-19th century), Irish and African American conflict over socially desirable factory work resulted in conflict expressed in racial and ethnic terms. The Irish secured their positions in the working class by pointing to their "whiteness," denouncing the abolitionist movement, and sometimes initiating violence against blacks. This racism supported capitalism by diverting potential conflict away from the Irish workers and capitalists and toward the Irish and African Americans. The intra-class conflict between the Irish and African Americans thwarted their development into a unified and class-conscious social group, thereby quelling a working-class rebellion. This competitive situation is called a split labor market.

This type of economic competition occurred during the period of U.S. industrialization and mass immigration. From the conflict perspective, ethnic and racial prejudice resulted as Chinese and Japanese immigrants competed with the native-born Americans over mining and laundry work, respectively, and as southern and eastern European immigrants competed with the native-born over factory work in the Northeast. In sum, according to the conflict perspective, racism and ethnic prejudice originated in economic capitalist relations.

Bibliography:

1) Ignatiev, Noel. 1995. How the Irish Became White. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

2) Roediger, David R. 2003. Colored White: Transcending the Racial Past. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

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