https://tinyurl.com/economics-of-racism
Before leaving Fast's Freedom Road, it's important to do some more thinking about one of its most central themes: racism as a political-economic ideology, as well as its more obvious existence as a set of practices.
Here are some texts which discuss racism in a materialist sense, but in somewhat different ways:
1. Ted Allen, "Summary of the Argument of The Invention of the White Race", is an historical account of the origins of racial slavery in the thirteen colonies. Here are the links to Part One and to Part Two.
2. Thandeka, "The Whiting of Euro-Americans: A Divide and Conquer Strategy," is a popular presentation of material very similar to Allen's (above).
3. "Smash Racism With Communist Revolution," from the Progressive Labor Party page, is a contemporary Marxist analysis of the intimate and necessary relationship between Capitalism and racism.
4. "Welfare Pamphlet" draft (1995), also from the Progressive Labor Party page, is a class analysis of welfare, including how racism is used to create a false ideology of welfare which hurts all workers.
5. "Affirmative Action Helps All Workers, Hurts Capitalists", is an essay I took from the ACTNOW-L mailing list in 1995.
6. Lerone Bennett, "The Road Not Taken" -
7. Tom Watson, "The Negro
Question in the South." (1892) -
https://msuweb.montclair.edu/~furrg/spl/tomwatson.html
8. Quotations on Racism and
Struggle, from Frederick Douglass
I would like Group One to read Allen, Part One. Group Two, please read Allen, Part Two. Group Three, please read "Smash Racism With Communist Revolution." (#3); Group Four, please read Bennet (#6); Group Five, please read Tom Watson (#7).
ALL GROUPS, please read the Thandeka piece, no: 2 above.
Please write an outline of the main points in the argument of the essay assigned to your specific group. 300-400 words.
In addition, come prepared to discuss the Thandeka piece.
Email to your group and to me.