The folly of Critical Race Theory

Wealth, not race is the prime determinant of inequality in the West

By Tunde Obadina

Much has been said and written in recent months about racial inequality. The loudest voices have been those who say western societies are endemically racist. They contend that centuries of white privilege and institutional racism have solidified race inequality, maintaining the structural subordination of black people to whites. This controversial view implies that blacks are socially and economically inferior to whites.

For centuries proponents of racial ideology can be divided into two schools. Firstly, those who argue that Africans and their descendants are naturally inferior because of biology or the curse of God. And secondly, those who maintain that black inferiority is the consequence of material conditions — though born equal blacks have been rendered lesser beings by their environment and upbring.

Few people would today openly declare any race to be biologically inferior. Unfortunately, many, including some anti-racist activists, do imply that historical legacy and present-day circumstances have rendered black people legally, socially, culturally, and economically subordinate to whites. Put another way, centuries of slavery, colonialism, and imperialism elevated whites to superiority over other races.

It is the view advanced by the proponent of Critical Race Theory (CRT), which contends that racial inequality stems from social, economic, and legal differences created by whites between them and other races to maintain their racial dominance. They argue that white supremacy is an enduring condition in western societies where white people use social, political, economic, and cultural arrangements and practices to maintain and regenerate their historical advantages over non-white peoples. So, according to CRT, black people are doomed to failure; where they succeed, it is owing to white intervention.

Both the biological and contrived variety of racial inequality stems from faulty assumptions. Race, nation, and other collectives are not entities that can be superior or inferior; privileged or disadvantages; rich or poor. Not all black people are poor or disadvantaged. Middle-class black families are materially better off than white low-income households. Black billionaires have more in common with white billionaires than they do with 99.99% of the world’s population, even though they may be subject to racial abuse despite their riches.

The offspring of wealthy Africans attending elite private schools in the West are more privileged than poor white kids in state schools. That few blacks study at Oxford or Harvard universities has more to do with wealth than race. Wealth is the prime source of privilege and status in capitalist societies. A black person with ten million dollars in his bank account has little trouble buying an apartment in the most exclusive districts of New York or London, while a poor white has no prospect of owning property in such affluent areas. Inequality in access to decent housing, healthcare, education, leisure, career, etc., is more the result of differences in wealth than race.

What do anti-racists who castigate all whites as irredeemable racists mean? If it is that they are not colour blind, this is probably true as it is for all races. If it is that every white person believes himself or herself to be racially superior, this is probably untrue. But we cannot know what individuals think, even members of our own race or sex. If the meaning is that all white people act against non-whites on racial grounds, it is an unfounded claim. Critical race theory does not just assume that whites believe themselves to be superior; it maintains that they systematically act against the interest of non-whites. Race identity is seen as the main factor governing society — affecting and defining every aspect of our lives.

There is little to gain from speculating on the assumptions in peoples’ heads. An Anglo-Saxon job interviewer who thinks blacks less intelligent may still choose one over a white candidate. A white anti-poverty campaigner for western aid to Africa may believe Africans to be naturally incompetent, so needing white benevolence.

When most people talk of social and economic inequalities, they compare averages or medians in outcomes. The average wealth of black households in western countries are well below those of whites. But this does not mean all black people are poor, disadvantaged or in jobs unfitting their qualifications. The per capita wealth disparity stems from many factors, including racism but also low capital inheritance and a concentration of black people in low-paying occupations. Low capital accumulation and lack of economic diversity are, at least in part, legacies of past inequalities of opportunity.

The narrative of systematic racism and white privilege in 21st century western societies can fuel defeatism among black people, particularly the young. What hope can there be if the majority population that control the levers of power is bent on rendering non-whites inferior? Why bother trying to achieve personal elevation when the odds are against you? The negativism encourages black people to view their place in the world solely through the prism of race. The logic is simple — black people are poor and get a raw deal; whites are rich, racists and all-powerful; therefore, blacks are poor because of racism. As Franz Fanon wrote, “Forgetting racism as a consequence, one concentrates on racism as a cause.”

Imagine a scenario in which 90 white and 10 black applicants attend a job interview. The post goes to a white male candidate. Black applicants who automatically assume their failure stemmed from racism will not bother considering other possible reasons. Racism may well have been at play, but it could also have been one or more of numerous other factors, including poor preparation, insufficient experience, under or over education, inarticulation, inappropriate dressing, or sheer bad luck.

99% of white candidates also failed. Some from working-class backgrounds may blame class prejudice while some women assume sexism caused their failure. Unsuccessful candidates who go beyond race, class, or sex in reflecting on the outcome of their interview are more likely to gain lessons that could improve their chances in future job applications.

The focus on institutional racism and white supremacy has benefited some members of the black middle-class. It has prompted some guilt-ridden white company executives and those seeking social responsibility brownie points to embark on diversity programmes. Doors have opened for black professionals into board rooms and high- profile jobs, often in diversity and equal opportunity departments. But there is little evidence that the cries against white structural supremacy have done much to improve the condition of low skilled working-class blacks.

With Covid-19 pandemic devastating western economies, it is incredible that some black activists are pushing an ideology that encourages despondency among non-whites. Tragically, so-called anti-racists are embedding low expectation among black people at a time of intensifying competition for diminishing numbers of decent jobs. Our focus should be seeking ways to enable underperforming black people to develop their potential to succeed. This involves understanding the workings of capitalism, especially the relationships between demand, supply, and prices in the process of allocating scarce resources.

What primarily motives the owners of companies is profit-making, not keeping members of other races down. Indeed, racism raises costs for producers, making their businesses less competitive. An employer who rejects a competent black job seeker only to employ a less able white pays for his racism in foregone efficiency and future profits. Consumers who act on their racism also incur costs. Not buying China-made goods out of racial prejudice means paying more for homemade substitutes.

Racism is real and we should confront its manifestations. But race is not the prime determinant of success in a market economy. Wealth is. We should tackle the impediments to more black people achieving self-realisation under the prevailing order.