Racism In America Vs. France: A Comparative Analysis
The difference between these two strategies has frequently been interpreted as being between Anglo-Saxon multiculturalism and French assimilationism; the former is “based on the rights of ethnic minorities, of communities,” while the latter is “based on individual rights.” In 1991, Marceau Long, the president of France’s Haut Conseil à L’Intégration, stated that the Anglo-Saxon strategy was “another way of imprisoning people within ghettos,” in contrast to the French strategy.
After thirty years, it is possible to perceive the issues as less reducible to simplistic binary oppositions and more nuanced. The arguments surrounding the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn affirmative action and the protests that erupted in France following the police shooting of adolescent Nahel Merzouk are two recent high-profile instances that highlight this complexity.
Legal Frameworks and Civil Rights Movements
Many fear that African Americans’ progress in higher education may now halt as a result of the Supreme Court’s ruling that Harvard’s race-based admission criteria was unlawful. However, as noted by African American author Bertrand Cooper prior to the ruling: “The truth is that a world without affirmative action is just the world as it is – no different than before for the Black poor.” Working-class African Americans’ lives have not been influenced by affirmative action, despite the fact that it has enhanced opportunities for middle-class Black people. In 2020, the proportion of African Americans admitted to Harvard was over 16%, which was greater than the percentage of Black Americans overall. However, Harvard’s black student body is by no means typical of the African American community.
Contemporary Manifestations of Racism
Most racial discourses view Black Americans as belonging to a single community. But for the most of the previous 50 years, black Americans have been the most disadvantaged racial or ethnic group in the country. The wealthiest white Americans, who make up the top quintile, are 21.3 times wealthier than the lowest-earning white Americans.
For African Americans, that number is an astounding 1,382. Merely 1.5% of the median black income is earned by the lowest Black individuals. Everything is shaped by this inequality, including education and jail. Three percent of Harvard students are from the lowest 20% of households, whereas almost 70% of students are from the wealthiest 20%. The number of pupils from the richest 1% was nearly equal to that from the lowest 60%.
Cultural Perceptions and National Identity
Put another way, class distinctions rather than race account for the majority of the lack of diversity in America’s leading colleges. However, because African Americans follow the same pattern of elite recruitment as the general population, it has a significant impact on them. Affirmative action is mostly directed towards the black upper class. Following revolutions that supported liberty, equality, democracy, and human rights, both France and the United States have asserted their unique destiny as a model country.
For example, France was previously referred to as a “universal fatherland” whose mission was to “help every nation be born to liberty” by the French historian Michelet. In a recent nationwide study, nine out of ten respondents said that America “has had a destiny to set an example for other nations” from the country’s founding. However, there has been a lot of racial violence and hatred in both countries. American and French laborers stress relatively different kinds of morality, they frequently establish moral and racial borders with similar disparities. Self-reliance is valued by White Americans, who take issue with Black Americans’ lack of self-discipline. French nationals are concerned that Arabs get a disproportionate amount of government subsidies and that Arab culture is incompatible with Western ideals.
Boycott of Paris Olympics 2024: Addressing France’s Systemic Racism Concerns
The boycott of the Paris Olympics 2024 stems from widespread concerns about racism in France. Statistics reveal alarming levels of racial discrimination, tarnishing France’s global reputation. The boycott reflects a commitment to addressing racism and ensuring the safety of all participants. It highlights the urgent need for France to confront and address its systemic racism issues.
Wrap Up
In conclusion, In France, the exact “ghettos” that French politicians used to mock the Anglo-Saxon approach were largely created as a result of the failure to acknowledge the social reality of racism under the pretext of “universalism.” The obsession with using racial categories to inform policy making in America has ignored the very communities these policies are meant to benefit, as evidenced by the tensions that exist between Asian Americans and African Americans. It has also created new social tensions by ignoring the many other factors, like class, that shape black lives. Beyond these two stances, a universalist viewpoint that upholds equal treatment while acknowledging the existence of racial discrimination must be developed.
