The Racial Contract Charles Mills

12 - The Racial Contract | Charles Mills History of political thought is predominantly white. Equality is an assumption in the social contract which might be too idealistic. The Racial Contract is a non-ideal theory; it is used to explain and expose the inequities of the actual non-ideal polity. It comes from the point of view of critique and not a normative perspective. Understanding the Racial Contract Racial Contract Theory: The Racial Contract introduces the concept of an implicit agreement that upholds white supremacy and maintains the subjugation of non-white individuals within society. All whites are beneficiaries of the contract, though some whites are not signatories to it. Societal, economic, and other structures benefit them regardless of whether or not they realize it. Exclusion and Inequality: It outlines how the Racial Contract systematically excludes non-white individuals from full participation in social, political, and economic spheres, perpetuating inequality. Key Features of the Racial Contract Normalization of Injustice: The Racial Contract normalizes the unjust treatment of non-white individuals, shaping societal norms and institutions to maintain racial hierarchies. Invisibility of Whiteness: It elucidates the phenomenon of whiteness being rendered invisible within the Racial Contract, allowing white privilege to operate without scrutiny. Global Implication: The Racial Contract extends beyond national borders, influencing global power dynamics and perpetuating colonial legacies. Historical Context 1. Colonial Roots: The Racial Contract traces its origins to the colonial era, where racial hierarchies were established to justify exploitation and domination. 2. Continued Legacy: It highlights how the Racial Contract persists in modern society, impacting laws, policies, and everyday interactions. Section 2: Impact on Society Structural Inequality 1. Systemic Racism: The Racial Contract perpetuates systemic racism, leading to disparities in areas such as education, employment, and criminal justice. 2. Intersecting Oppressions: It intersects with other forms of oppression, such as sexism and classism, compounding the marginalization of individuals at the intersections. Cultural and Psychological Effects 1. Internalized Racism: The Racial Contract contributes to the internalization of racial inferiority among non-white individuals, impacting self-perception and mental well-being. 2. Cultural Hegemony: It influences cultural narratives and representations, shaping perceptions of race and reinforcing stereotypes. Political and Legal Ramifications 1. Legitimization of Discrimination: The Racial Contract legitimizes discriminatory practices and policies, perpetuating the disenfranchisement of non-white communities. 2. Challenges to Justice: It poses challenges to achieving justice and equality within legal and political systems, hindering efforts for meaningful reform. But we will see that there is a color-coded morality. Non-white people are perceived as incapable of grasping the natural law and therefore are savages. Notes: The Racial Contract is composed of Three Contracts: 1. Political a. How is society and state organized? Spaces 1. Spatialization of vice and virtue. There is a requirement for Christian virtue and influence. If you did not abide by Christian virtue, you are savage. In the white settler state, the role is not primarily to demarcate the pre-political state of all men, but rather the permanently pre-political or, perhaps better, non-political state of nonwhite men. For example, when it is said that “the Philippines was discovered by Magellan” it presupposes that the Philippines was not relevant or real prior to the white man’s discovery. History from this perspective is construed from the white man. The establishment of a society thus implies the denial that a society has already existed and that the creation of society requires the intervention of white men who are thereby positioned as already social beings - implying that no development and progress is possible without the white man. 2. Moral a. How is right and wrong distinguished? There is a ‘natural law’ immanent in the structure of the universe which is supposed to direct us morally in striving for this ideal. This idea arose from racial contract normed spaces and normed individuals. 2. Secular ethic of settlement and industry Modernization as justification of displacement. “You are uncivilized because you do not have any Western technology or Western education” Individuals 1. Legal Dimension a. Persons vs Subpersons 2. Cognitive Dimension a. Personhood = Rationality b. Subpersonhood = Deficient Rationality 3. Aesthetic Dimension a. White as the aesthetic as a norm of aesthetic beauty 3. Epistemological a. What counts as knowledge? The requirements of objective cognition, factual and moral, in a racial polity are in a sense more demanding in that officially sanctioned reality is divergent from actual reality. Think of Orientalism or exoticism. The ideas in popular culture seeps into our psyche and influences our decisions. The idea of the Middle East being war-struck and third world countries being incredibly poor are depicted by Western media. These work in concert to create ignorance in our psyche and compel us to subscribe to the Western perspective and stereotypes of these people. Another example is that of color blind ideology. “Race does not actually exist.” Based on our biology, we are all human beings. This idea comes from a well-meaning intent. That said, it diminishes race to just be a social construct and therefore it refuses to acknowledge how prejudice actions influence our decisions. To act as if race does not exist is to pretend everything is okay - that people in Africa were not exploited and people of color have equal opportunities.