RACISM

Racism which can be defined as the illogical or baseless hatred of another group of people is still prevalent in the modern world. Whereas in the past the term used to mean white people versus people of color, nowadays it has come to include Jews (anti Semitism), middle Eastern and East Asian people as well. Racism is a major obstacle to peace and social order making dealing with it a priority.  Understanding the causes of this attitude requires knowledge of history and basic economics.

Racism has its roots in the past. Firstly, the infamous slave trade during which hundreds of thousands of innocent black people were transported to the Americas and sold like cattle. This practice has long since been abandoned but the mentality remains: black people are inferior. Secondly, past grievances will cause lingering prejudice against certain people. For instance, Armenians hate the Turks due to a horrific incident during World War I when the Ottoman Empire was collapsing. Anti Semitism is probably the most wide spread of prejudices dating back thousands of years. Thirdly, people from former colonies are also looked down upon. For instance, Indians and Pakistanis are considered inferior in the UK. However, the only reason for the latter is not the fact that India and Pakistan were former British Colonies; there is another reason.

Racism is also connected to economic concerns. Firstly, members of the former colonies, who have passports belonging to the colonial power, can travel to this country easily to work. In doing so, they undercut prices causing unemployment among local workers. This in turn leads to a reaction against the migrants. Secondly, migrants are blamed for flooding into developed countries and taking advantage of the benefits system whereby they are paid if they are unemployed. The public outcry this has caused has led to the establishment of extreme right wing parties like UKIP. Thirdly, people escaping from war and disaster flood western countries. These people are usually from central and north Africa and the Middle East. The negative reaction they cause is very similar to those cited above. In short, financial loss or the danger of financial loss causes a backlash.

In conclusion, it is difficult to eradicate racism completely but there is a lot that can be done. For instance, history could be taught so as not to perpetrate existing prejudices. Limits can be put to foreign migration. Inter racial interaction can be promoted through social programs. All these will help alleviate the problem somewhat.