The Origin of White Privilege

By

Scott Smiley

 

                The topic of “white privilege” has troubled me for some time.  At first I denied it could exist in today’s society.  Federal Laws should be preventing this type of thing from happening.  The magnified loud speaker of social media would bring anyone who attempted to assert any type of privilege over another would be tarred and feathered.  But upon reflection I feel I was wrong.

                Before some of you start shouting either way I offer up some things to consider.  Firstly the power that allows privilege must be identified.  Per (Merriam-Webster) “2a. possession of control, authority, or influence over others.”  I am focusing on the United States of America primarily.  That said, it began even earlier than the finding of North America by the Europeans (The Chinese also claim the found America but that is still in debate).  Leif Erikson a Norse Viking, found North America in approximately c. 1000 CE (Groeneveld).  In 1492 Christopher Columbus an Italian, found the Bahamas (Robert Roy Britt).  Amerigo Vespucci another Italian, found America in 1502 (Robert Roy Britt).  America is named after Vespucci (Robert Roy Britt).  The first settlement was Jamestown founded by the English under a grant to the Virginia Company by Queen Elizabeth in 1602 (americaslibrary.gov) .  Then Christopher Jones an Englishman Captained the Mayflower to what is now called Massachusetts carrying the Pilgrims in 1620 (Brooks).  Other than the Native American’s all of the “explorer’s” were of European decent.  The next question is who held power in that time?  Well with the exception of a few Queens it was mostly held by men.  In particular Christian white men if history is to be trusted.  Women were considered more property than anything else and had few, if any Rights.  Most of these men were of European or British decent making them Caucasian thus “white”.   When this is combined you find only Christian Caucasian Males (referenced as CCM going forward) held the majority of power.  Power being defined as the wealth and authority to create and enforce societal rules.  Just as a note, south of the equator men still held power they were just not Christian or Caucasian. They were just men and that is another story for another time.

                So, now let’s focus on North America.  The American Indian was quickly run over by these colonists.  The definition of an invader is “to encroach upon” and “to spread over or into as if invading” (Merriam-Webster).  These colonists were ruled by CCM’s for the most part.  Women could not own land.  Only land owners could vote.  The land was “granted” by royals from Europe.  This was the culture.  This was their way of life.  This trend continues through slavery, emancipation and the Civil Rights movements.  1492 through 1962 470 years of momentum of Power pushing its way forward originating from traditions and culture originating from Christian Caucasian Men, White Men.  Some statistics from the US Census Bureau:

 

2017 Population:

   Ethnic Group                     %            People              Economic Inertia              %            % Over $35k

White Non-Latino:           58.5%    186,809,170        $5,770,586,745.00            73%             73.9%

Latino:                                  18.1%      55,704,217           $874,316,548.00             11%             18.1%

Black or African:               13.4%      41,239,586           $684,265,226.00               9%             13.4%

Asian:                                      5.8%      17,849,970           $547,764,285.00               7%             78.7%

Two or More Races:          2.7%        8,309,469         Not broken out in data from published census

American Indian:                1.3%        4,000,855         Not broken out in data from published census

Native Hawaiian/

Pacific Islander:                  0.2%           615,516         Not broken out in data from published census   

 

 

 

 

Household Income:

 

		Percent distribution									Median income (dollars)
Race and Hispanic origin of householder and year	Number (thousands)	Under $15,000	$15,000 to $24,999	$25,000 to $34,999	$35,000 to $49,999	$50,000 to $74,999	$75,000 to $99,999	$100,000 to $149,999	$150,000 to $199,999	$200,000 and over	Estimate
WHITE ALONE, NOT HISPANIC	84,681	8.5	8.9	8.6	11.6	16.4	13.0	16.0	8.0	8.9	68,145
BLACK ALONE	16,997	19.9	12.7	11.6	14.1	15.7	9.8	9.5	3.5	3.1	40,258
ASIAN ALONE	6,735	9.0	6.6	5.8	9.6	14.5	12.9	16.3	10.8	14.6	81,331
HISPANIC (ANY RACE)	17,318	12.0	11.1	11.3	15.0	18.1	12.6	11.5	4.5	3.8	50,486

 

From this data it is easy to see that there are more “White” people and households than other ethnicities.  The income economic data is interesting.  78.7% of the Asian makes more than $35k while only 73.9% of White are in the same range.  The remaining two are as follows at $35k and above: Hispanic at 18.1% and Black 13.4%.  So, this disproves that the larger group will automatically suppress the smaller ones.  This does prove the Ethnic culture can affect its economic performance.  This begs the question is why does the one Ethnic group Black have such a disparity?  The CCM’s have treated Asian and Latino just a poorly as Black with the exception of slavery.  Does this one issue and how it has been handled cause this level of disparity?  “Yes” is the only answer I can come up with.  It is not the one I was looking for.

 

While I have a strong feeling that the Native American Indian (NAI) data will be similar to Black, I don’t have the data to substantiate the claim.  I also have the feeling that ever since the NAI’s have fought and won fights about casino’s and banking this growing economic inertia will change the NAI’s future statistics to be similar to Hispanic and Asian.  Time and more data will tell if my feelings are correct.

 

If the reaction and treatment of slavery is the causation is the initial trend then is it still the cause?  Since CCW’s still control 73% of the economic inertia which I believe also transfers to political power then again I believe the answer is “yes”.  This begs to ask what have CCW’s done that is consistent since the early 1900’s and what is different?  This also asks a bunch of social questions I have no idea of what they are or the answers.  Also, I ask why after 100 years the Black ethnic group has not begun to change.  Lot’s more questions I don’t have answers to.  Lastly, since the Hispanic, Asian and (I believe) the NAI groups are creating economic inertia that is opposite the Black group; at what point do we stop blaming the past cause of slavery and CCW’s actions and start looking at the Black social culture’s own responsibility for their future?  At some point there must be a tipping point in my mind.  I question if that point has already past or has yet to come.  Again more questions I don’t have answers to.

 

The original intent of this paper is to determine the existence of and origin of White Privilege.  My conclusion is “yes” it exists.  It began hundreds ago in Europe and was transferred here by the CCW’s.  It has been perpetuated through time via the economic engine created by the CCW’s who through this engine controlled the political and religious power in North America.  I also believe that this same economic inertia that enables power will be found in every other ethnic region on the planet.  The ethnic group that holds economic power controls political power and in most cases religious as well.  Now let the arguing, name calling and outrage begin.