Race Marxism

1. Critical Race Theory is Race Marxism

Critical Race Theory is a Marxian conflict theory of race; i.e., Race Marxism

Race as central construct. Critical Race Theory (CRT) adapts Marxian theory by replacing class with race as the primary lens for understanding societal inequality. It views racism as the fundamental organizing principle of society, created and maintained by white people for their benefit. This perspective frames whiteness as a form of property that must be abolished, mirroring Marx's call to abolish private property.

Neo-Marxist roots. CRT emerged from Critical Legal Studies, a movement applying neo-Marxist ideas to law. It shares Marxism's goal of societal revolution, but focuses on racial rather than economic transformation. Like Marxism, CRT seeks to awaken a specific consciousness (racial instead of class) to drive social change.

Key aspects of CRT's Marxian nature:

• Views society through lens of racial power dynamics
• Seeks to overthrow existing social structures
• Aims for a racial utopia (analogous to communist society)
• Uses dialectical thinking to analyze racial issues

2. CRT's Core Beliefs: Racism as Ordinary and Permanent

Racism is ordinary, not aberrational—'normal science,' the usual way society does business, the common, everyday experience of most people of color in this country.

Pervasive racism. CRT posits that racism is not an aberration but a fundamental aspect of American society, embedded in its structures and institutions. This view rejects the idea of a post-racial society and argues that racial progress is largely illusory.

Critique of liberalism. CRT challenges core liberal principles such as colorblindness, meritocracy, and equal opportunity. It argues these concepts mask and perpetuate racial inequality by ignoring systemic racism. CRT advocates for race-conscious policies and rejects incremental change in favor of radical transformation.

Key tenets of CRT:

• Interest convergence (racial progress only occurs when it benefits whites)
• Intersectionality (overlapping systems of oppression)
• Storytelling as a valid form of evidence
• Whiteness as property
• Critique of rights discourse

3. The Fusion of Neo-Marxism and Postmodernism in CRT

Critical race theory questions the very foundations of the liberal order, including equality theory, legal reasoning, Enlightenment rationalism, and neutral principles of constitutional law.

Theoretical synthesis. CRT combines neo-Marxist critical theory with postmodern ideas about knowledge and power. From critical theory, it adopts the focus on systemic oppression and the need for radical social change. From postmodernism, it incorporates skepticism towards objective truth and emphasis on the role of language and discourse in shaping reality.

Power and knowledge. CRT views knowledge as inseparable from power relations, arguing that what counts as "truth" is determined by dominant racial groups. This leads to a rejection of traditional academic standards and methods, favoring "lived experience" and storytelling as valid forms of knowledge.

Key postmodern influences on CRT:

• Rejection of universal truths
• Emphasis on multiple perspectives
• Focus on language and discourse
• Skepticism towards Enlightenment values

4. CRT's Deep Roots in Hegelian Dialectics and Rousseau's Philosophy

The dialectic progresses.

Hegelian influence. CRT's approach to understanding racial dynamics draws heavily on Hegel's dialectical method. It sees racial progress as occurring through a process of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis, with racial consciousness constantly evolving through conflict and resolution.

Rousseauian elements. From Rousseau, CRT inherits a skepticism towards modern society and a belief in the corruption of human nature by social institutions. This manifests in CRT's critique of Western liberal institutions as inherently racist and its call for a radical reimagining of society.

Key philosophical concepts in CRT:

• Dialectical thinking about race relations
• Critique of Enlightenment rationality
• Emphasis on emotion and lived experience over reason
• Vision of a transformed, racially just society

5. CRT as a Virus: Spreading Through Institutions

Critical race theory contains an activist dimension. It not only tries to understand our social situation, but to change it.

Institutional infiltration. CRT operates like a virus, infiltrating institutions and repurposing them to spread its ideology. This process often begins with seemingly benign diversity initiatives but can lead to more radical transformations of organizational culture and policies.

Academic origins and expansion. Starting in legal scholarship, CRT has spread to education, social work, and other fields. It has moved beyond academia into corporate diversity training, government policy, and popular discourse.

Strategies for institutional spread:

• Coopting language of diversity and inclusion
• Training programs and workshops
• Redefining institutional goals and metrics
• Creating new administrative positions focused on equity

6. Critical Race Praxis: How CRT Operates in Practice

Critical Race Theory is as Critical Race Theory does.

Consciousness-raising. The primary goal of CRT praxis is to raise racial consciousness, creating more Critical Race Theorists. This involves challenging existing beliefs about race and promoting a view of society as fundamentally racist.

Language manipulation. CRT practitioners often use specialized language and redefine common terms to advance their agenda. This can create confusion and make it difficult for others to challenge CRT ideas.

Key aspects of CRT praxis:

• Storytelling and counter-storytelling
• Challenging colorblind policies
• Promoting race-conscious solutions
• Creating racial affinity groups
• Implementing critical pedagogy in education

7. Combating CRT: Institutional and Cultural Strategies

Never attempt to cure what you don't understand.

Institutional pushback. Efforts to combat CRT must include removing its proponents from positions of power in institutions and limiting their ability to implement CRT-based policies. This may involve legal action, policy changes, and public pressure.

Cultural renewal. Long-term resistance to CRT requires cultivating a shared cultural sensibility that rejects racial essentialism and promotes universal values. This involves promoting alternative narratives about race and society that emphasize common humanity and individual agency.

Strategies for resisting CRT:

• Education about CRT's true nature and goals
• Legal challenges to CRT-based policies
• Promoting classical liberal values
• Supporting alternative scholarship on race
• Building coalitions across racial and ideological lines

Last updated: November 7, 2024