"You Can't Have Capitalism Without Racism"-Malcolm X

[Ken Burch]

A lot of good business types are against all forms of bigotry-and more power to them for it. We're a better country because some of them joined in with the rest of us to fight for a better set of values than most people of their class support.

But the capitalist system is always going to try to preserve a certain level of group hatred. Capitalism needs people to hate each other based on identity, since if all hatred vanished, all of those who are screwed over by the system would unite and bring it down, replacing it with something better, more democratic, and more humane.

So try as we might, we cannot defeat racism, sexism, homophobia, trans phobia, ageism(a personal concern to mine in my mid-50's) or any other forms of group hatred UNTIL we restructure the economy in such a way that humane values, human dignity and the intrinsic worth of all people are recognized as being of equal importance.

This is why we need to address class just as we address bigotry...because the mistreatment of people based on class is just as much as form of oppression(even if it manifests in different ways at times than bigotry, and even as we recognized that people in groups historically subject to bigotry do often have it worse than people who are oppressed mainly by class).

This, in the end, is all that Bernie's really been saying:

That you defeat personal bigotry by making sure people don't have to compete against each other for crumbs just to survive, let alone get ahead in life, and that you defeat institutional bigotry by ending the alliances between the police and the sources of credit and insurance with the 1% and by ending the state of affairs that makes many small communities all around the country dependent on perpetual prison expansion just to have jobs for anybody IN those communities.

And Bernie's been making these points for decades now

It's all about what we really need to do to defeat hate, in all its forms, in its country.

The words may be different, but the goal is the same, the commitment is the same, And the level of emphasis is equal to, if not greater than, that expressed by any other candidate in the race:

The defeat of hate, and the defeat of fear.

[Hydra]

1. Brother Malcolm was spot on about a lot of things

And he's right about this- if we were all doing well, where would the hate come from?

Capitalism does not put people first, or the environment, or anything else that's important to us. We need to put people first.

[Cheese Sandwich]

2. Bravo. Very well said.

That you defeat personal bigotry by making sure people don't have to compete against each other for crumbs just to survive, let alone get ahead in life, and that you defeat institutional bigotry by ending the alliances between the police and the sources of credit and insurance with the 1% and by ending the state of affairs that makes many small communities all around the country dependent on perpetual prison expansion just to have jobs for anybody IN those communities.

This is so good. I love it. Capitalism breeds racism by forcing workers to compete for survival.

Capitalism and racism are twins. They grew up together. They were linked from the moment the first slave ship arrived and white guards were handed guns and whips to control the slaves. It's still the same thing. Malcom knew it. Working class solidarity is an antidote to racism. When the left fails to organize the workers along class lines, the right always swoops in to organize them with religious fundamentalism and destructive ideologies like racism and homophobia. Class-based politics won't solve all the problems of racism, or anything else, but it's the number one biggest thing we can do.

[cui bono]

3. Thanks for posting this.

This is what I've been trying to explain to people who just will not stop with the bs about social/economic justice and how Bernie Sanders doesn't like "minorities".

The oppressors must keep the oppressed fighting amongst themselves and if they are in survival mode that's exactly what they will do. And people naturally gravitate towards those most like them in those times and against those not like them. It's not that hard to understand, unless you have a reason not to.

There is NO REASON we should not fight for EVERYONE. For their right to social freedoms and for their right to economic freedom. Not everyone places the same importance on either but that doesn't mean we have to pick which people we fight for, we fight for ALL. Let us not forget that there are people dying because they don't have enough money to buy food, to pay their heating bill or a/c bill. How can anyone live with themselves when they argue that that isn't important?

If we don't fight for EVERYONE, who gets to choose who we do fight for? Some internet persona? Hell no. Why choose? When you choose one thing over the other, one set of people over another, you are being just as ignorant and callous as those who are causing you grief.

[1StrongBlackMan]

4. Posted to for later. n/t

[JustAnotherGen]

8. Me too

[Ichingcarpenter]

5. Malcolm X on Capitalism and Socialism

Last edited Wed Jul 8, 2015, 01:12 PM - Edit history (2)

"In my opinion, the young generation of whites, Blacks, browns, whatever else there is, you’re living in a time of revolution, a time when there’s got to be change," Malcolm told a group of British students in 1964. "People in power have misused it, and now there has to be a change, and a better world has to be built, and the only way it’s going to be built is with extreme methods. I, for one, will join in with anyone–I don’t care what color you are–as long as you want to change this miserable condition that exists on this earth."

He continued: "It is incorrect to classify the revolt of the Negro as simply a racial conflict of Black against white, or as purely an American problem. Rather, we are seeing today a global rebellion of the oppressed against the oppressor, the exploited against the exploiter."

Asked what he thought was responsible for race prejudice in America, he responded: “Ignorance and greed. And a skillfully designed program of miseducation that goes right along with the American system of exploitation and oppression.”

In an interview with the Young Socialist he stated: “It is impossible for capitalism to survive, primarily because the system of capitalism needs some blood to suck. Capitalism used to be like an eagle, but now it’s more like a vulture and can only suck the blood of the helpless. As the nations of the world free themselves, then capitalism has less and less victims, less to suck, and it becomes weaker and weaker. It’s only a matter of time in my opinion before it will collapse completely.”

When he was asked what kind of political system he wanted, he said:

“I don’t know. But I’m flexible. As was stated earlier, all of the countries that are emerging today from under the shackles of colonialism are turning toward socialism. I don’t think it’s an accident. Most of the countries that were colonial powers were capitalist countries and the last bulwark of capitalism today is America and it’s impossible for a white person today to believe in capitalism and not believe in racism. You can’t have capitalism without racism. And if you find a person without racism and you happen to get that person into conversation and they have a philosophy that makes you sure they don’t have this racism in their outlook, usually they’re socialists or their political Philosophy is socialism.”


“Malcolm X: The Man and his Ideas” by George Breitman)

https://books.google.dk/books/about/Malcolm_X.html?id=SUMQAQAAIAAJ&redir_esc=y

[Rosa Luxemburg]

6. Excellent post!

I hope that the young people of this country make this a better place in years to come. They need someone like Bernie.

[LWolf]

7. Thank you

for pointing out the link that we've been trying to explain.

[1StrongBlackMan]

9. I'm having difficulty finding that quote ...

my search is turning up is a report on a speech to "a group of British students in 1964", where he reportedly said:

"[In] my opinion, the young generation of whites, Blacks, browns, whatever else there is, you’re living in a time of revolution, a time when there’s got to be change," Malcolm told a group of British students in 1964. "People in power have misused it, and now there has to be a change, and a better world has to be built, and the only way it’s going to be built is with extreme methods. I, for one, will join in with anyone–I don’t care what color you are–as long as you want to change this miserable condition that exists on this earth."

(Comment by 1SBM: where the closest he came to saying the quoted line was ...)

He continued: "[It is] incorrect to classify the revolt of the Negro as simply a racial conflict of Black against white, or as purely an American problem. Rather, we are seeing today a global rebellion of the oppressed against the oppressor, the exploited against the exploiter."

http://socialistorganizer.org/malcolm-x-on-capitalism-and-socialism/

That doesn't say what the quote says.

And the section was preceded with:

In his last year of life, before his assassination on February 21, 1965, Malcolm X’s political views evolved towards anti-capitalist positions. “You can’t have capitalism without racism,” he said.

But no reference ...

and then, the piece went on to credit the quote to:

In an interview with the Young Socialist he stated: “It is impossible for capitalism to survive, primarily because the system of capitalism needs some blood to suck. Capitalism used to be like an eagle, but now it’s more like a vulture and can only suck the blood of the helpless. As the nations of the world free themselves, then capitalism has less and less victims, less to suck, and it becomes weaker and weaker. It’s only a matter of time in my opinion before it will collapse completely.”

and,

When he was asked what kind of political system he wanted, he said:

“I don’t know. But I’m flexible. As was stated earlier, all of the countries that are emerging today from under the shackles of colonialism are turning toward socialism. I don’t think it’s an accident. Most of the countries that were colonial powers were capitalist countries and the last bulwark of capitalism today is America and it’s impossible for a white person today to believe in capitalism and not believe in racism. You can’t have capitalism without racism. And if you find a person without racism and you happen to get that person into conversation and they have a philosophy that makes you sure they don’t have this racism in their outlook, usually they’re socialists or their political Philosophy is socialism.”

But again, we have an unidentified/unidentifiable person(s) saying Malcolm X said something.

Then, I found this:

tumblr

Pinterest

Google+


You can't have capitalism without racism. - Malcolm X


More Malcolm X Quotes



Malcolm X
“I've had enough of someone else's propaganda. I'm for truth, no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who it's for or against. I'm a human being first and foremost, and as such I am for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.”
―Malcolm X

Source/Notes:
The Autobiography of Malcolm X (1965)



Facebook

Twitter

Picture



Malcolm X
“The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses.”
―Malcolm X

Source/Notes:
Supposedly said at a speech in 1963. As quoted in "Redefining Black Power: Reflections on the State of Black America", City Lights Books, 2013, p. 115 - ISBN: 9780872865488



Facebook

Twitter

Picture



Malcolm X
“Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.”
―Malcolm X

Source/Notes:
Malcolm X Speaks (1965)

http://izquotes.com/quote/249360

Notice each quote contains "Source/Notes" providing where the quote can be found and when it was made. A further search of the izquotes site for the word "capitalism" produced, "No Matches found."

A further on-line search, produced:

At the OAAU’s founding rally, Malcolm stated “we want equality by any means necessary.” In a 1964 speech, he said “you can’t have capitalism without racism.”

http://www.socialistalternative.org/2005/07/01/you-cant-have-capitalism-without-racism-looking-back-at-malcolm-x-1925-1965/

Again, note the first quote identifies the where and the when of the quote; whereas, the quote in question, merely indicates "In a 1964 speech".

In fact ... my search kept leading back to Socialist materials directed at/to the Black community.

Now, I know my search is all-exhaustive ... I don't have that time; but, I would hate for this quote to turn out to be another:

http://www.bing.com/search?q=famous%20false%20quotations&qs=n&form=QBRE&pq=famous%20false%20quotations&sc=0-20&sp=-1&sk=&ghc=1&cvid=93e7bafd2b904d339ad8a06f5f298a16

[Ken Burch]

14. This attributes it to "Malcolm X Speaks"

https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Malcolm_X

Besides, even were it to turn out to be a false quote(which it won't be) the "vulture" quote you reference above proes Malcolm X was anti-capitalist after 1964, so it's silly to argue that he was a supporter of market economics.

The same market economics that have done more to preserve the institutional racism that has tormented you so much throughout your life.

Would you be willing to explain why you feel so much distrust towards the left, while at the same time you seem to give rich white folks and unregulated, untaxed post-1981 capitalist arrogance such a total pass on the question of institutional bigotry? Why do you seem to do that when the main reason institutional racism survives is that it protects the 1%?

[1StrongBlackMan]

17. Again ...

It is impossible for capitalism to survive, primarily because the system of capitalism needs some blood to suck. Capitalism used to be like an eagle, but now it's more like a vulture. It used to be strong enough to go and suck anybody's blood whether they were strong or not. But now it has become more cowardly, like the vulture, and it can only suck the blood of the helpless. As the nations of the world free themselves, capitalism has less victims, less to suck, and it becomes weaker and weaker. It's only a matter of time in my opinion before it will collapse completely…. •March 1965, p. 199

This is what I have found ... nothing.

Besides, even were it to turn out to be a false quote(which it won't be) the "vulture" quote you reference above proes Malcolm X was anti-capitalist after 1964, so it's silly to argue that he was a supporter of market economics.

Really ... I guess that show how much you know about Malcolm X. He was a STRONG proponent of market economics; albeit, in a way that would be wholly unacceptable to DU.

Would you be willing to explain why you feel so much distrust towards the left, while at the same time you seem to give rich white folks and unregulated, untaxed post-1981 capitalist arrogance such a total pass on the question of institutional bigotry? Why do you seem to do that when the main reason institutional racism survives is that it protects the 1%?

Why am I distrustful of some liberals? ... because I have lived life AND because I have listen to Malcolm X.

The white liberal differs from the white conservative only in one way. The liberal is more deceitful than the conservative. The liberal is more hypocritical than the conservative. Both want power, but the white liberal is the one who has perfected the art of posing as the Negro’s friend and benefactor, and by winning the friendship and support of the Negro, the white liberal is able to use the Negro as a pawn or tool in this political football game. Politically the American Negro is nothing but a football, and the white liberals control this mentally dead ball. Through tricks of tokenism and false promises, and they have the willing cooperation of Negro leaders. These leaders sell out our people for just a few crumbs of token recognition and token gains-----MALCOLM X ( from his speech called, God’s Judgment of White America AKA Chickens coming home to roost) http://www.malcolm-x.org/speeches/spc_120463.htm

But to answer the second part of your question ... I do not give any of that a pass, seemingly or otherwise. Where have you seen me do so? Or, is that because I don't write (speak) much on it? Imagine that ... NOT speaking (much) on something indicates the importance of something! Who knew? That earned me the wrath of DU!

Finally, I would argue that the main reason institutional racism survives is because it works for the 99% ... well, the white segment of the 99%. It provides you with competitive advantages in just about every segment of society. If you would focus on ending institutional racism, i.e., call Kaseem or Juan back at the same rate as Chip for that job; give Rahshada or Roberta the same loan terms (housing opportunities) as Rebecca; stop Jonathan at the same rate as Jamal or Julio (all of the disparate action perform by Joe Working-class 99%er) ... it would die on the vine, But, no you wish to convince, both Joe and me, that we should focus on the 1%.

[Ken Burch]

18. It's been well-documented that Malcolm moved sharply to the left on economic issues

and abandoned racial separatism in the last two years of his life. At the time he was shot, he was scheduled to meet with Che Guevara.

Malcolm realized that the old-style Elijah Muhammad notion of black small-business self-sufficiency was impossible as long as the current economic model was in place-that the capitalist financial, insurance and credit systems would always choke it to death through redlining and other means.

Malcolm saw that a broad-based coalition of all the dispossessed-blacks, Latinos, Native Americans and yes, working-class and poor whites-would need to be built...that race matters massively but that it's not ALL that matters-that class and greed mattered as well.

It's because he saw those links that Malcolm's words live on today, while Elijah Muhammad is gone and forgotten and Louis Farrakhan is forgotten even while living.

And yes, references about Malcolm's later support of socialist ideas are most likely to be found at leftist links-but that doesn't make them bogus-there are at least as many poc on the left as there are whites, if not considerably more in some areas, and white leftists would not have been stupid enough to ascribe things to Malcolm that he didn't say or believe. Those references are less likely to appear in non-left sources simply because most non-left sources and sites are committed to denying that anyone in public life ever stood for anything radical-it's also why your average MLK holiday event never mentions Dr. King's opposition to the war in Vietnam, his support for the labor movement(he was in Memphis to support a sanitation workers' strike) or his work building the multi-racial class-based Poor People's Campaign.


And actually, a lot of white folks are harmed more than helped by institutional racism.
it's used to distract us from the real issues we face. It deludes too many of us into accepting misery just because we might be slightly less miserable than people who look different than us. It scares a lot of us out of movements for broad social and economic change that would benefit the majority of us...it destroys the chance of alliances that would work for change that's to the good of everyone, regardless of race. We have had it easier than poc on many things, and it is a crime that we have, but we have also had some common areas of suffering(more than the 1% would like us all to see), many of us also(if in different ways) struggle with forms of oppression including poverty and powerlessness, and more and more of us are allied with poc in working for change, including working against institutional bigotry-we aren't all, as you seem to think, in league with each other against poc. We address race just as strongly as we address class. We aren't the early-1960's establishment center-liberals Malcolm was talking about there. We are in this to pull something over on you or to leave you out in the cold. Real change comes from the broadest possible coalitions of different groups who have been left out in the cold-it can't come from any one group saying "only our pain matters".

We all need each other. No one group has enough strength to do it on their own.

[1StrongBlackMan]

19. FFS, Just stop ...

And actually, a lot of white folks are harmed more than helped by institutional racism.
it's used to distract us from the real issues we face.

[Ken Burch]

20. It's the truth.

Doesn't mean we have it as bad as poc...means a lot of us don't actually gain from it. What do you have to lose by reaching out fotr common ground with others?

I'm talking about coalition...which is the only way to change anything.

You've had it worse...but a lot more people overall in this country have it bad than have it good. Together, we could end all the forms oppression. Separately, nothing can change.

[1StrongBlackMan]

21. Okay ...

sighhh

[Ken Burch]

22. BTW, why is it that you only question BERNIE'S commitment on anti-racism issues?

HRC has never been that great (she helped form the DLC, a group that fought to get the Democratic Part to stop addressing racism and endorse the "tough on crime" policies that are the cause of a lot of institutional racism)and she only started giving speeches on racism and police violence two months ago-Bernie's spent a lifetime working on those issues, and worked on them as much as he worked on anything else.

You've said nothing about O'Malley, who abetted police violence and did nothing to stop the economic and social strangulation of black Baltimore his whole time as mayor.

(I won't mention Chafee, because, well, why?)

And I doubt you'll say much about Webb, who's from Virginia...and you know what you have to look the other way about if you want to get elected in that state.

Why the obsession with challenging Bernie to the exclusion of challenging any other Dem candidate?

Why more demands of Bernie than of any other candidate?

Why less trust in him than any other candidate?


It almost sounds like you think institutional racism can only be stopped if Bernie is driven out of the race as soon as possible.

[Scootaloo]

28. Malcom X Speaks. Page 69

Question: What political and economic system does Malcom X Want?

Answer: "I don't know. But I'm flexible... As was stated earlier, all of the countries that are emerging today from under the shackles of colonialism are turning toward socialism. I don’t think it’s an accident. Most of the countries that were colonial powers were capitalist countries and the last bulwark of capitalism today is America and it’s impossible for a white person today to believe in capitalism and not believe in racism. You can’t have capitalism without racism. And if you find a person without racism and you happen to get that person into conversation and they have a philosophy that makes you sure they don’t have this racism in their outlook, usually they’re socialists or their political Philosophy is socialism.”

[nolabels]

10. Human values are an easier sell than capitalism

Capitalism is a myth based on another myth, but human values although intangible in theory also can be exchanged and traded easier.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

11. I have a question.

Is Bernie Sanders going to dismantle the capitalist system in the United States, a system where the means of production are largely in private hands, and replace it with a socialist system, a system where the means of production are largely in the public's hands and how does he accomplish that?


Thank you in advance.

[Ken Burch]

12. I don't think it would be that drastic

He'd probably set up a mixed system, like in Scandinavia.

And thank you for making the distinction between social ownership(ownership by the workers and the general population)and state ownership. They are not the same.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

13. Did you know that in Sweden 90% of the property is in private hands?

These terms are getting conflated here.

It seems what a lot of folks are calling socialism here is just a more generous welfare state than what we have now that most of us here including myself support.

[socialist_n_TN]

15. He's not. Bernie is not running on a socialist platform......

The means of production will remain in private hands. Which means we'll be fighting this same fight for a few more generations yet.

Bernie is running as an FDR Democrat, NOT on a socialist platform.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

16. I know...These terms get thrown around.

And we also didn't even get to discuss creating a classless society which is a principle of socialism...

[Cheese Sandwich]

23. He is a source for this quote, with some more context

It was on Google Books in Malcolm X Speaks: Selected Speeches and Statements

https://books.google.com/books?id=ShfNyQrAa-YC&pg=PA69&lpg=PA69&dq=it+is+impossible+for+a+white+person+to+believe+in+capitalism+and+not+believe+in+racism&source=bl&ots=Bz_gLlN9HK&sig=iW-ob0z4gzP8pyv2zgNLgEiZfXY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=agCeVcDtOoSfgwTni4DwCQ&ved=0CC4Q6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=it%20is%20impossible%20for%20a%20white%20person%20to%20believe%20in%20capitalism%20and%20not%20believe%20in%20racism&f=false

[Ken Burch]

26. Thank you.

I also just received verification of the quote from the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation in Omaha (Malcolm's birthplace).

[Cheese Sandwich]

27. Nice.

Thanks

[merrily]

24. Here's how I see it: you can have economic justice AND racism. Economic justice alone

does not guaranty equal treatment. Is a wealthy African American more likely be safe, accepted, etc. than a very poor one? Probably. And no one denies that. BUT, there is a reason Chris Rock sends out a selfie every time he gets pulled over for driving while black. Wealthy African Americans still have to teach their kids to be uber respectful to police, for example--and even then they have to worry. On the flip side, though, if there were a way to eliminate racism, there would be no race-based economic injustice. As it is, we have both. While there is overlap, we should not conflate the two. The core issue is the racism, which results in economic injustice and a host of other evils.

Disclaimer: this is the post of a woman who is not speaking from personal experience. It's just an observation from someone in a relatively safe place.

[Ken Burch]

25. That is also very true.

Which is why Bernie has never said that economic justice would automatically end institutional bigotry, or the need to fight bigotry-just that you'd probably need to achieve it to have any chance of ending institutional bigotry.