In Where White Privilege Came From, author Allan Johnson first details the history of white privilege- a concept that began many centuries ago. It began with the British attempting to conquer Ireland, and with that, establishing a sense of dominance which led them to their idea that the Irish were biologically inferior, and should be treated as such. From that point on, concepts of race were in existence, which allowed for opportunities of control and poor, subhuman treatment by those in "power," both with race and economic status. An example of this is when upper-class whites encouraged lower-class whites to firmly identity with their white culture, because it allowed them with some form of privilege, despite being exploited by the capitalist system. The quote from the text, "I may be poor, but at least I'm white," depicts the mindset that many of the people of that time had. The topic of race, and the immense abuse that went along with it, was so prevalent that issues of social class flew under the radar. This not only caused harsh economic systems and unfair working conditions to be minimized, but also created a structure where race was deemed very polarizing, and minorities were essentially 'the lowest of the low.' This all resulted in dynamics that still operate today.
Johnson also discusses how despite elements of force, and systems in place, there was always a factor of choice behind everything. He states that "People who participate in social systems, in short, are not robots or puppets in relation to them." He makes it clear that it was not like the entire nation all felt the same way, as opposition to practices such as slavery did exist. He describes these movements as "strong," meaning that those who were aware of both sides of the argument could make a conscious decision regarding their stance on racism. Johnson continues saying, "A system’s (...) characteristics can load the odds in ways that create paths of least resistance, but the rest depends on what people choose to do from one moment to the next." This type of "path" is one that is the easiest to follow, even if it is a detrimental one. It is common, in accordance to the sociological model, that people will tend to think and do what the 'majority' upholds. They may feel some doubts, but refuse to act on them- perhaps due to fear of consequences, or maybe because they have been led to believe that their voice will make no difference. Those that do choose to make a difference, though, can have long-lasting, substantial effects if done so properly.
Johnson also emphasizes that although him and his ancestors are not directly to blame for this "troubling history," his role as a white, upper-middle class man has its own specific history that can be brought into question. He states, "We can participate in systems in ways we’re not aware of and help produce consequences without knowing it." Johnson details his personal 'chain reaction' of privilege, starting with his grandfather, who owned a dairy farm. The land that was purchased, though, had been claimed by a Native American tribe decades before. The whites in power did not care about this, and the dairy farm went on to be successful, making his grandfather money that would be inherited by his kin. Johnson would benefit from this money, as it allowed him to pay for his house. This shows that his current status rooted from what was basically gentrification and the neglect of Native Americans. White people are often oblivious to their past, and how it has provided them privilege and advantages, which, in turn, works to perpetuate the systems further.
Comment:
I'm always astounded by the justifications made by whites to make their actions seem valid. Johnson mentions how, "It was a common belief among whites that they were doing Africans a favor by bringing them to live their lives in service to whites as a kind of deliverance from an inferior and savage existence." It is already insidious that they put black people in a state of subordination, but the fact that they truly would view it as something that black people should essentially 'thank them for,' helps me to grasp just how superior white people made themselves within society.
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