The Student Room Group

Does inequality automatically mean institutional/systemic racism?

Judging by the way this international discussion is going it seems that many people take it for granted that inequalities = racism. While obviously racism can and does lead to inequality, is it always the case that disparity in e.g. education and income is caused by racism?

For example, does the fact that Asian Americans outperform whites mean that there is institutional racism at play against white people?
Reply 1
Avatar for epicnm
epicnm
17
Original post by carlskep
Judging by the way this international discussion is going it seems that many people take it for granted that inequalities = racism. While obviously racism can and does lead to inequality, is it always the case that disparity in e.g. education and income is caused by racism?

For example, does the fact that Asian Americans outperform whites mean that there is institutional racism at play against white people?

Racial inequality can result from institutional racism.

No white people in America can not face racism, especially not institutional racism, because racism requires both prejudice and power. It’s not racism because white peoples race is in power, with social institutions favouring white people. If you want to argue that it’s prejudice at play, go ahead!
Reply 2
Avatar for adrewp
adrewp
17
No I don't believe so. I think, especially now for jobs, employers would probably care about how well you're likely to do the job.
Reply 3
Avatar for carlskep
carlskep
OP
11
Original post by epicnm
It’s not racism because white peoples race is in power, with social institutions favouring white people.

If institutions favour white people as you claim, then that still doesn't explain the fact that Asian Americans do much better than them. It actually disproves your claim!
Reply 4
Avatar for Napp
Napp
22
It can do, that doesnt mean it does though. Many of these people whining about their lower outcomes in life have only themselves to blame i'm afraid. Blaming it all on a supposed evil racist system holding them down is just lazy.
Reply 5
Avatar for epicnm
epicnm
17
Original post by carlskep
If institutions favour white people as you claim, then that still doesn't explain the fact that Asian Americans do much better than them. It actually disproves your claim!

It doesn’t disprove my claim, it just suggests other reasoning for it. And notice how you haven’t listed the discrepancies in education between African Americans and White Americans.
Original post by epicnm
Racial inequality can result from institutional racism.

No white people in America can not face racism, especially not institutional racism, because racism requires both prejudice and power. It’s not racism because white peoples race is in power, with social institutions favouring white people. If you want to argue that it’s prejudice at play, go ahead!


Can a black person be racist towards an Asian person?
Reply 7
Avatar for carlskep
carlskep
OP
11
Original post by epicnm
It doesn’t disprove my claim, it just suggests other reasoning for it. And notice how you haven’t listed the discrepancies in education between African Americans and White Americans.

What other reasoning is there to support your claim that institutions favour white people yet Asians do better in them?
The system is definitely racist towards white post industrial northern English and Welsh communities.
Original post by Napp
It can do, that doesnt mean it does though. Many of these people whining about their lower outcomes in life have only themselves to blame i'm afraid. Blaming it all on a supposed evil racist system holding them down is just lazy.

The only people facing systematic oppression are Africans. Western ethnic minorities have actually been over privileged in terms of access to opportunities in the last two decades.
Reply 10
Avatar for Napp
Napp
22
Original post by MoveEastorDie
The only people facing systematic oppression are Africans. Western ethnic minorities have actually been over privileged in terms of access to opportunities in the last two decades.

I think you'll find there are other ethnic minorities who are hard done by.
"over prviliged" indeed :rofl: Thats like saying an African in Africa is over privileged.
No, in fact I think it's lazy to just leap to the assumption that it's due to "racism".
Original post by MoveEastorDie
The system is definitely racist towards white post industrial northern English and Welsh communities.

It really is white genocide isn’t it. The likes of the Guardian and BBC clearly want to cull off most true British people.

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