preview

Slavery Race And Ideology In The United States Of America Analysis

Decent Essays

In the essay “Slavery, Race and Ideology in the United States of America” Barbara Fields states:
Race is not an element of human biology (like breathing oxygen or reproducing sexually); nor is it even an idea (like the speed of light or the value of π) that can be plausibly imagined to live an external life of its own. Race is not an idea but an ideology. It came into existence at a discernable historical moment for rationality understandable historical reasons and is subject to change for similar reasons (101).

In this quote, Fields argues that Race is not biological nor is it an imaginable concept; it is an ideology that was created to justify slavery and social class. It is simply unnatural to be racist, but when there are explanations

Get Access