Privilege and oppression are certainly heated topics in our democratic society. Luckily, democracy encourages open discussions on topics like unearned privilege and oppression, unlike non-democratic governments. In those systems, power runs wild, and its oppressive nature remains hidden due to its tight grip on the media and its citizens. It’s crucial to address the dangers of unchecked power while appreciating the checks and balances in a democratic society. Socialism might aim for utopia and equality, but its centralized power often leads to undeserved privileges for the few and widespread oppression for the masses.
In many discussions about privilege and oppression, the concept of unchecked power often takes a backseat. In this article, my main goal is to emphasize the importance of implementing checks on power to reduce both unearned privilege and oppression. Additionally, I will explore the role of power dynamics in society, systemic inequality, the connection between unearned privilege and oppression. Lastly, I’ll offer up 12 strategies for dismantling power imbalances in democratic societies.
The Role of Power Dynamics in Social And Political Structures.
Power dynamics play a significant role in shaping social structures and determining who benefits from them. Individuals with more power and influence will control greater resources and make more decisions that impact the lives of others. For instance, in patriarchal societies, men traditionally hold most of the power. As a result, the ones in power often perpetuate their dominance. Consequently, these dynamics lead to the creation of hierarchies and classes of people.
As a result, hard work and merit alone do not determine status or privilege. Indeed, unrestrained power leads to an uneven distribution of opportunities. In extreme cases, unchecked power results in unearned privileges for the few and oppression for the masses.
Now, it is important to understand that these power dynamics are present in every economical and political system ranging from democracy to a dictatorship. Without a doubt, the negative effects of power are most profound in authoritative governments and societies.
Types of authoritative governments include autocracies, socialist regimes, absolute monarchies and theocracies. Indeed, this is where power is unchecked. Surprisingly, even though there are many authoritative governments in the world there is not a lot of information on the negative effects of these regimes. Unquestionably, this is because dictatorships completely oppressed the media and alternative viewpoints. For more discussion on tyranny, see my article, Tyranny, A Provocative Word – Know The Right Definition And Bottom Line On 10 True Tyrants.
Key Definitions In Understanding The Negative Effects Of Power
To better understand the relation between power, privilege, and oppression, here are some definitions:
Power: “The ability to decide who will have access to resources; the capacity to direct or influence the behavior of others, oneself, and/or the course of events.”
Unearned Privilege: “Unearned access to resources only readily available to some people as a result of their advantaged social group membership.”
Oppression: “A system that maintains advantage and disadvantage based on social group memberships and operates, intentionally and unintentionally, on individual, institutional, and cultural levels.”
Class: “The system of ordering a society in which people are divided into sets based on perceived social or economic status.”
For the purposes of this article, I’ll use these definitions to identify the negative effects of unchecked power. Namely, these are oppression and unearned privilege. Indeed, these definitions are the essential components of the sustained negative effects of unchecked power. First, oppression will stop if the oppressor’s power is restrained. Second, unearned privilege will cease if the uneven power apparatus is disassembled. Lastly, some type of class system is used to determine who is to be oppressed and who is to receive unearned privilege.
“… oppression will stop if the oppressor’s power is restrained. …unearned privilege will cease if the uneven power apparatus is disassembled“
Now, at the same time, having different types of groups in a society is not necessarily bad. For example, most of us affiliate with a specific culture that both enriches our lives and passes on traditional norms. For more on culture, see Unvarnished Facts’, What Is Culture – The 11 Most Common Traits And How To Compare.
For more details on the negative effects and alternative viewpoints on power, privilege, and oppression, see Scripps College’s presentation, POWER, PRIVILEGE, & OPPRESSION.
Systemic Inequality: How it Perpetuates Unearned Privilege and Oppression.
Systemic inequality is the result of deeply ingrained social norms and institutional practices that favor certain groups while disadvantaging others. For example, racial and gender wage gaps persist due to systemic bias and discrimination. As a result, the system confers unearned privilege to certain demographics while oppressing others. Indeed, systemic inequality is the major enabler of on-going oppression. For another example of systemic inequality, see Unvarnished Facts’, The 3 Simple Reasons And Enablers Of Racism.
This system of unearned privilege and oppression operates on the basis of how a society categorizes individuals into specific groups. When left unchecked, this system can divide societies into two segments: individuals who enjoy unearned privilege and those who become subject to oppression. The consequences of this imbalance include the uneven distribution of resources, opportunities, and treatment.
Further, systemic inequality is often difficult to recognize since it exists within the very fabric of society. One clue to systemic inequality is when a society assigns a specific group of people to a specific social status. For instance, a society labels all GREEN people to a low social status for the purposes of exploitation. Unfortunately, it is challenging to dismantle systemic inequality without comprehensive action from all stakeholders involved.
The Intersections Between Unearned Privilege and Oppression.
To fully understand inequalities in society, it’s essential to recognize the complex intersections between privilege and oppression. Specifically, individuals will experience disparities along various lines, such as race, gender, class, and sexual orientation. By understanding how these factors interconnect, we can better grasp the intricate nature of systemic inequalities. As a result of this understanding, we can work towards dismantling an unchecked power system from multiple angles.
So, in any society, specific groups typically enjoy unearned privileges while others face oppression. The privileged group might not even fully realize their unearned advantages over others. For example, a wealthy individual may not recognize their financial privilege, but a person living in poverty can experience the oppression of systemic bias daily.
One way to understand which group is privileged and who is oppressed is to identify which class a person belongs to in society. This approach is called intersectionality. See definition below.
Definition Of Intersectionality
“Intersectionality is an analytical framework for understanding how individuals’ various social and political identities result in unique combinations of discrimination and privilege. Intersectionality identifies multiple factors of advantage and disadvantage. Examples of these factors include gender, caste, sex, race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, religion, disability, weight, species and physical appearance. These intersecting and overlapping social identities may be both empowering and oppressing.”
Wikipedia
This intersectionality framework serves as a useful tool for understanding unearned privilege and oppression within a given society. However, its application can also contribute to the negative aspects of identity politics and cancel culture. The challenge of categorizing individuals into specific groups is twofold. Firstly, each person within a group is not the same. In fact, they are unique, with their own thoughts and actions. Secondly, it’s easy to mislabel individuals based on their external appearance. As a result, they are unjustly judged. For more on cancel culture, see my article, Is Cancel Culture Good: The Debate And Practical Ways That Will Mitigate Its Toxic Effects.
Strategies for Deconstructing Power Imbalances.
Deconstructing power imbalances involves first recognizing the root causes of privilege and oppression within societal structures. Namely, unchecked power and its apparatus of systemic inequality. Then the society needs to develop targeted strategies to address them. For ideas to minimize power imbalances, reducing unearned privileges, and stopping oppression, see my article, Unearned Privilege And Oppression: Know How To Best Stop By Deconstructing Toxic Power Imbalances.
Unearned Privilege And Oppression: Know How To Best Stop By Deconstructing Toxic Power Imbalances.
Hopefully, we can all agree that unearned privilege and oppression are big issues for any society. However, what’s worse is the driving force behind them – unchecked power. When this power remains unbridled, it builds an authoritative system that keeps inequality alive. So, if we want to reduce these issues in our society, we must work on breaking down harmful power imbalances. Click here for 11 strategies that can help us put an end to systemic inequality.
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