But I won’t be using that book, mainly because I feel that he doesn’t truly get to the root of this idea— why are racism and capitalism “conjoined twins,” to borrow his phrasing? For this, I look to the work of Cedric Robinson and his magnum opus Black Marxism.
What we often don’t learn about is that these feudal castes were racialized, with members in the lower classes being members of groups deemed “racially inferior.” Members of the serfdom class primarily included people such as Jewish people, the Romani, and the Irish, groups that we would now classify as “white,” Black Marxism, while a million pages for the most part. Thus, when capitalism long, is truly groundbreaking. In the arose from feudalism, it took with it this book, Robinson offers a critique of the already pre-established system of race Marxist analysis of capitalism that’s used as an indicator and justifier of class, by socialists and communists alike, demonstrating that racism and arguing that Marx’s fundamental capitalism have been together from the argument fails to acknowledge the start. Robinson refers to this concept as racialized nature of capitalism. Since “racial capitalism.” Marx is not exactly on the top of every American history teacher’s list of Racial capitalism would soon be historical figures to know, let’s first exported all over the world with the discuss the Marxist critique of capitalism. introduction of colonialism, allowing it to Marx argues that capitalism arose as a spread from its origins in European revolutionary economic system to its countries. And because race is a forever predating system, feudalism, and that shifting social construct, those deemed the two economic systems are wholly “racially inferior” shifted— from those separated in this matter. Marx also who looked white to those who looked argues that society’s dominant conflict Black and brown. If capital is the motive, lies between the classes of the race is the means: the justifier for the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, not inequality that is fundamental to mentioning the implications of race in maintaining capitalism. Thus, to say that any sort of way in his analysis. race, capitalism, and class are separated isn’t just false, it’s ahistorical— and it Robinson, however, throws the Marxist also ignores the realities of the millions argument completely out of the window. of marginalized individuals who suffer Robinson argues that capitalism never from this oppressive system every day. arose as a revolutionary departure from feudalism, but rather, as a mere But What About Oprah? evolution. And as with things that Before I proceed, I want to make a few evolve, they maintain key traits and things clear. I know there are many who features of its previous system. We all find this idea to be wrong and even understand the basic system of preposterous. “But what about rich Black feudalism— the lords, serfs, noblemen, people? What about the people abroad et cetera. who come from predominantly Black and brown countries who have struck it rich? 68 What about Oprah?”
