Figure 1.--

We do not fully understand why racism became so intense in the Western world. There seem to have been several different factors that fueld European racism. 1) The inballance in technology seemed to suggest that white Europeans were a more avanced people. 2) That technological inballance led to an inballance in military power. Thus the Europeans had the ability to impose their will on others peoples. 3) The inballance in technology as well as the ability to exploit other peoples created an inballance in living standards which strengthen the European view that they were superior. 4) Christian religious teaching fueld and justified colonialism as bringing civilization to the heathen. (Here Christianity also taught against the worst abuses and was a major factor in the fight against slavery.) 5) Slavery was another factor, especislly in America. 6) Science by the 19th century became seen as road to the future and some authors connected evolution with racism--Social Darwinism. 7) Nationalism emerged as a powerful force in the 19th century and some rabid nationalists connected race with the nation. This was especually true in Germany, ironically the European power with the least experience with other races because of its small colonial empire. The Germans, however, were especially brutal in their colonial polict. Racist attitudes varied from country to country. Here historical experiences affected popular attitudes toward race. And within countries there were a range of individal attitudes. It should not be thought that racism was exclusively a Western phenomenon. Racism was prevalent in other countries, including most of Latin America, India, China, and Japan. Western racism was especually pernicious because the Europeans countries controlled so much of the world. In other countries, racism was more of a domestic problem. An exception here was Japan. The Japanese proved to be very brutal as they carved out a colonial empire in the 20th century. And during World war II, millions would die as a result of Japanese racism. The colonial policies varied, but in all instances were affected by racism. The limited number of colonial peoples in Europe, meant that that domestic policies were not substantially affected. Two exceptions were newly unified Germany and America. Tsarist Russia was a rather strange variant, akind of racism without race. One rather unsavory manifestations of racism in Europe and America were human zoos, especially recreations of African villages.

Development

We do not fully understand why racism became so intense in the Western world. There seem to have been several different factors that fueld European racism. 1) The inballance in technology seemed to suggest that white Europeans were a more avanced people. Earlier contacts between different races involved socities on more equal footinhg. 2) That technological inballance led to an inballance in military power. Thus the Europeans had the ability to impose their will on others peoples. 3) The inballance in technology as well as the ability to exploit other peoples created an inballance in living standards which strengthen the European view that they were superior. 4) Christian religious teaching fueld and justified colonialism as bringing civilization to the heathen. (Here Christianity also taught against the worst abuses and was a major factor in the fight against slavery.) 5) Slavery was another factor, especislly in America. 6) Science by the 19th century became seen as road to the future and some authors connected evolution with racism--Social Darwinism. 7) Nationalism emerged as a powerful force in the 19th century and some rabid nationalists connected race with the nation. This was especially true in Germany, ironically the European power with the least experience with other races because of its small colonial empire. The Germans, however, were especially brutal in their colonial policy. Racist attitudes varied from country to country. Here historical experiences affected popular attitudes toward race. And within countries there were a range of individal attitudes.

Non-western Racism

It should not be thought that racism was exclusively a Western phenomenon. Racism was prevalent in other countries, including most of Latin America, India, China, and Japan. Western racism was especually pernicious because the Europeans countries controlled so much of the world. In other countries, racism was more of a domestic problem. An exception here was Japan. The Japanese proved to be very brutal as they carved out a colonial empire in the 20th century. And during World war II, millions would die as a result of Japanese racism.

Colonial Policies

The colonial policies varied, but in all instances were affected by racism.

Domestic Policies

The limited number of colonial peoples in Europe, meant that that domestic policies were not substantially affected. Two exceptions were newly unified Germany and America. Tsarist Russia was a rather strange variant, akind of racism without race.

Human Zoos/Ethnological Expositions

Europeans were very curious about their new colonial empires, especually the people. In the era before pictorial magazines, movies, and televisions, Europeans wanted to see what their exotic colonies and people in their colonies looked like. Photographers began selling images that could be included in scrapbooks. Many of these images were fairly straight forward. By the turn-of-the 20th century we begin to see images that we would today be labeled as racist. One rather unsavory related manifestations of racism in Europe and America were human zoos, especially recreations of African villages. Human zoos were also called ethnological expositions. The most egregious were done as Negro/African Villages. They first appeared in the mid-19th century as European empires were expanding. They were public exhibits of non-European humans, often presented in a natural or primitive state. The African villages were the most egregious. In American there were also Native American camps, but they were not as disparaging as the African village diplzys. Human zoos emphasized the cultural differences between Europeans and the colonial peoples. This in itself is not necesarily bad. It was the context in which these events were staged. The first human zoos first were done as exhibits in the international exhibitions that began to be organized in the mid-19th century. Some were staged in zoos, presenting Africans (especially pygmies) alongside the great apes. In some cases they were labeled as the 'missing link'. Some even had scantially-dressed Africans in cages. We note the annual Folk Life celebration organized by the Smithhsonian on the National Mall which included a Polynesian village. The presentation, however, was not disparaging. Himan zoos, especially the African villages, were highly disparaging. And very much associated with the scientific racism social Darwinism that were prevalent in the lste-19th century and early-20th century.

Created: 2:42 AM 10/4/2011
Last updated: 2:42 AM 10/4/2011