We live in a society based on divisions. The main division, which is hardly ever discussed, is the division between those who control the wealth and productive forces of society, and those who do the work. Those in control of the economy determine what to produce, who will produce it and who it is produced for. This is not determined by what is needed, but what is most profitable. In a wealthy country like the U.S., there is room for some who were not born into privilege to “make it”. This gives people hope that they can find a better place in society. And those individuals or groups that don’t succeed are blamed for what is supposedly their failure.

To maintain their control, those in power have always used a “divide and conquer” strategy – pitting one group of people against another. In the U.S. the one of the main divisions is based on race. The origins of this division go beyond the founding of this country. But like other myths that try to get us to believe that “things have always been this way” ­– it is an outright lie. Racism hasn’t always been a part of human existence.

Modern-day racism began with the enslavement of African people. The European ruling classes had to justify this brutal institution and did so by claiming that Africans were lesser beings than Europeans. Of course there was no mention of the great civilizations of Africa and their accomplishments. The lies and rationalization of this brutal treatment of African people led to the creation of one of the most powerful myths of our day – the existence of biological races.

The existence of race is a myth we are taught from an early age. We are taught to not question whether races exist. The racial hierarchies we then see in society are accepted as being natural.

Biological races do not exist. Our species has a common origin. Over the 100,000+ years of our existence, minor genetic differences, like skin color, became concentrated in certain populations.

These differences might have given a survival advantage in some environments. For instance, less skin pigment allows for more synthesis of Vitamin D from exposure to the sun and darker skin protects from the sun’s rays. There are no genes that belong to one race. But the belief in races and the abilities supposedly associated with different races supports the racist divides we see in society today.

Today one’s so-called race has an enormous impact. If you are classified as black or white it can make a big difference. In the U.S. over the past 25 years, the wealth gap between blacks and whites has tripled. In 2014, the median income for black households was less than 60 percent of that of white households. The jobless rate for black people is twice that of whites, and one in four black people live in poverty compared to one in ten for whites. People classified as black are only 13 percent of the U.S. population, but make up 60 percent of those imprisoned. In Oakland, if you are a young black man, you are as likely to go to prison as you are to graduate high school. These are just some of the terrible consequences of racism.

A society based on artificial scarcity and haves and have-nots will make sure that some get more and most get less. A society that represents the interests of a tiny minority must keep the majority divided and turn people against each other. One way is to seem to reward one group for accepting the degradation of others. Racism has been a very effective strategy to do this. Race has often stood in the way of people seeing their common interests and standing together to make a collective fight for a better life. The prejudices coming from the racism of this society aren’t aimed just at black people. The ignorance and hate racism is based on knows no limits – it can be used against anyone who can be labeled as different or “other.”

We have to oppose racism wherever we encounter it. Whether we are direct targets of racism or not, we need to stand up to all racist attitudes and actions. But to finally eliminate racism, we will have to get rid of the system that created and maintains these racial divisions.

Race – The Power of an Illusion TEN THINGS EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT RACE

Our eyes tell us that people look different. No one has trouble distinguishing a Czech from a Chinese. But what do those differences mean? Are they biological? Has race always been with us? How does race affect people today?

There’s less – and more – to race than meets the eye:

1. Race is a modern idea. Ancient societies, like the Greeks, did not divide people according to physical distinctions, but according to religion, status, class, even language. The English language didn’t even have the word ‘race’ until it turns up in 1508 in a poem by William Dunbar referring to a line of kings.
2. Race has no genetic basis. Not one characteristic, trait or even gene distinguishes all the members of one so-called race from all the members of another so-called race.
3. Human subspecies don’t exist. Unlike many animals, modern humans simply haven’t been around long enough or isolated enough to evolve into separate subspecies or races. Despite surface appearances, we are one of the most similar of all species.
4. Skin color really is only skin deep. Most traits are inherited independently from one another. The genes influencing skin color have nothing to do with the genes influencing hair form, eye shape, blood type, musical talent, athletic ability or forms of intelligence. Knowing someone’s skin color doesn’t necessarily tell you anything else about him or her.
5. Most variation is within, not between, “races.” Of the small amount of total human variation, 85% exists within any local population, be they Italians, Kurds, Koreans or Cherokees. About 94% can be found within any continent. That means two random Koreans may be as genetically different as a Korean and an Italian.
6. Slavery predates race. Throughout much of human history, societies have enslaved others, often as a result of conquest or war, even debt, but not because of physical characteristics or a belief in natural inferiority. Due to a unique set of historical circumstances, ours was the first slave system where all the slaves shared similar physical characteristics.
7. Race and freedom evolved together. The U.S. was founded on the radical new principle that “All men are created equal.” But our early economy was based largely on slavery. How could this anomaly be rationalized? The new idea of race helped explain why some people could be denied the rights and freedoms that others took for granted.
8. Race justified social inequalities as natural. As the race idea evolved, white superiority became “common sense” in America. It justified not only slavery but also the extermination of Indians, exclusion of Asian immigrants, and the taking of Mexican lands by a nation that professed a belief in democracy. Racial practices were institutionalized within American government, laws, and society.
9. Race isn’t biological, but racism is still real. Race is a powerful social idea that gives people different access to opportunities and resources. Our government and social institutions have created advantages that disproportionately channel wealth, power, and resources to white people. This affects everyone, whether we are aware of it or not.
10. Colorblindness will not end racism. Pretending race doesn’t exist is not the same as creating equality. Race is more than stereotypes and individual prejudice. To combat racism, we need to identify and remedy social policies and institutional practices that advantage some groups at the expense of others.

From RACE – The Power of an Illusion, produced by California Newsreel.