class consciousness

[Mathew Forstater]

This is far from an agreed upon point among marxist and marx-inspired
labor economists and historians.  There is a strong argument, rooted in 
the analysis of intra-class competition, that white workers have an
objective material interest in racism.  The Michael Reich argument that
white workers are hurt by racism defined "hurt" as declining income shares
relative to capitalists.  But if white workers have other goals--e.g.,
preserving privileged position within the working class, staying out of
the reserve army, relatively better jobs, etc.--than it is not at all
clear that white workers are "hurt."  This is not to say that bargaining
power would not be increased by solidarity, etc.  See the work of Herbert
Hill in labor history; Darity, Rhonda Williams, Botwinick, Patrick Mason
in labor econ.

Mat Forstater

On Sat, 9 May 1998, Charles Brown wrote:


>   I thought to add to my mention of
> the problem for class unity that racism
>  is that the racism of white workers is,
> from our perspective, irrational. It is
> against their class self-interest. Irrationality