Race Cycles Model
A race cycle model is an approach that attempts to develop on the general growing literature in regard to race politics. A race cycle approach is a general proposition that there is an existence of systematic process behind huge dominant ideologies shifts in regard to race in a particular country (Sawyer, 7). The model depends on the situation that changes the current system to attain an off balance thus allowing racial groups subordination in the particular pattern to develop and collect support from the existing situation’s crisis context. The fresh ideology then worked itself into the central point thus generating changes thus changing the general nature of racial thus altering the structure of the current racial structure (Sawyer, 8). Race cycle’s model provides grounds for understanding the manner in which racial ideology and subordinated individuals agency change the nature of racial politics.
Race cycles model is made of five key components as the primary mechanisms and actors. Based on race cycles perspective racial politics is influenced by the existence of mechanisms like regime transformation, state crisis, critical events transnational politics and racial ideology (Sawyer, 12). To begin with, racial politics transforms by mechanisms such as state crisis or critical events. This is those events which shock the current system thus leading to instability which can also be regarded as drastic thoughts. What follows with the occurrence of such district to the established system is the occurrence of racial politics shift. This results in a consolidation that is grounded on the existing racial pattern shift as they develop in a crisis scenario. In the context of the model, the third element is the fact that there is an occurrence of transformation that may permit gains possibility for an oppressed minor racial group. However, the changes later stop thus developing racial situation stagnation. Within the particular context of crisis scenario the racial transformations are applied thus developing a fresh balance of ideology that replaces the dominating racial pattern in a permanent state but this is open to discussion on the changes significance (Sawyer, 14). Race cycles model that political transformations are bound to rise but the transformations cannot be automatic this takes time.
Race cycles are irregular and hence they do not always lead to the development of racial politics in a lined system. In racial relations, the state that is affected by the mechanism of the critical event is not always the transformation in relation to age (Sawyer, 17). This is because critical events are external instruments that shapes that transform racial politics in the context of transnational politics and states crisis thus changing the contention landscape. The survival of a state is not threatened by critical events despite the fact that they capture the attention of the state and that of the public. Critical events may work with the cooperation of other mechanisms like transnational politics and states crisis. Racial politics can be changed by the occurrence of critical events (Sawyer, 19).
For instance, the American cities deindustrialization is one situation of an occurrence of a critical scenario which developed over an expanded time period (Nicole, 1). O the other hand the occurrence of a currency crisis which resulted in the rise of racial violence in Asia in the year 1999 which is a form of a critical scenario that occurred overnight. The occurrence of these events resulted in economic transformations. Transformations in the relations of race are at times a non-predicted or non-intended implication of the general restructuring of the economy that presents opportunities as well as limitations for the minority groups. As the economic production mode changes family relationships shifts as well as the utilization of time. Several kinds of restructuring such as economic industry transition can results in the creation of fresh opportunities while the movement of the economy like changing it to post-Fordism can destroy opportunities for minority groups because this generally involves opportunities minimization rather that expansion (Nicole, 1).
State consolidation is an addition race cycles model mechanism. Racial politics are generally and often arena in which increased society’s directions anxieties are eradicated and thus state consolidation as a state’s crisis mechanism follower tends to transform racial politics into normalcy state (Nicole, 1). Hegemony and power consolidation is a strong desire that is held by the most state. This mechanism generates a contraction implication that stops most of the benefits that are developed by the marginalized groups during the occurrence of a crisis. The swift and violent of the state consolidation are determined by the threat that is subjected to the State consistency. The need of an emergent regime tends to lead to the generation of equilibrium. The state can thus declare the issue of race to be completely solved at that moment when a fresh order develops from the chaotic scenario. Modern states normally utilize race as the primary mode of establishing its general rationality and the state of rationality in most cases is articulated in the context of affirmations regardless of whether the issue of race has been solved. Consolidation as a race cycles mechanism is more effective in states that are grounded on the authoritarian system (Nicole, 1).
State crisis as a mechanism of race cycles model is usually in the nature of civil wars, states change and foreign wars (JLove, and Runell, 25). This can be described as an external mechanism which is influences that are generated by the environment and results in the implication of the social living of individuals. An occurrence of a state’s crisis is any event in which the state’s sovereignty is jeopardized. State crisis situations usually pose high threats to the general safety of every individual in the state and especially for the minor groups. In addition, this situation opens increased and sensitive political moments. In the survival of the state, this increases the requirement of expanding the general support of the corporate in powers consolidation and achieving the stated objectives (JLove, and Rundell, 24).
In particular, the minority groups are often endangered in the occurrence of violence. When the state is under a certain degree of threats race can thus become the online convenient through the determination of community association (JLove, and Runell, 24). This case can well be represented by the American World War II. The war was essential in expanding opportunities and danger to the African Americans as the minority group that had been affected greatly. In a similar case during the bloody civil war that occurred in central America, indigenous individuals were exposed to violence as well as repression despite the fact that very few of the indigenous group's persons were engaged in conflicts. This, therefore, asserts that race can transform to be a proxy which is used in the judgment of distinguishing the right from the evil, traditional versus modern, communist versus capitalists as soon. During this period of crisis, the minority racial groups are utilized as the sacrificial lambs who are used to mobilize and eliminate the presence of dissent. In Cuba, there are three different and significant moments which depicts an important state’s crisis which developed opportunities for the black persons living in Cuba. These are the independence war, Cuban revolution, and Angolan war. These crises were an engagement of the requirement of mobilizing blacks behind the projects of the state thus developing important opportunities in areas such as the economy, political and social context for the black persons (JLove, and Runell, 25).
In Cuba, there are three different racial politics theories which are Black Nationalism, Marxist exceptionalism, and American exceptionalism. The paradigm of both racial exclusion and inclusion are in existence simultaneously. These paradigms are developed by situations that exist under which the black individuals were included into the nation of Cuba and by peculiarities of racial ideology in Cuba (Morris, 12). Cuba has not fully attained racial democracy but it has been involved in more doing to achieve democracy more than any state. Its major objective is to eradicate racial inequality.
Particularly in Cub, a racial inequality has been a consistent and persistent issue because of political structure and ideological factors were somewhere in existence prior to the revolution while others were generated by the revolution (JLove, and Runell, 23). The general ideology of the exemption of Latin Americans denied the occurrence of racism thus suppressing blacks agency. This was a significant ground that presented an occurrence of more comprehensive racial reforms before and after the event. In addition, the unequal education distribution of the blacks in the period of pre-revolution and the situation in poor regions and their general participation in the sugar sector has a significant impact on the general inequality that occurred after the revolution. During this period of revolution, Marxism ideology was combined with the American Latin exceptionalism in limiting the occurrence of reforms which resulting in the proposition of class-based solutions rather than the implementation of effective solutions which would adequately eradicate the issue of black people’s qualified racial inequality (JLove, and Runell, 23).
Racial inequality that has occurred in Cuba has mainly been driven by the structural changes in the society and political system. This revolution, therefore, provides grounds for examining the general relation between race as well as class (Morris, 12). Racial inequality is very present but it is being denied by the individual. Racial politics within the state of Cuba have followed the paradigm of retrenchment of the opening which has been influenced by the requirement of the state in mobilizing blacks in supporting states project as well as protection from hostile factors (Morris, 11).
From race cycles model, we learn that racism establishes itself via different factors such as social class as well as additional cultural differences. The concept of racial democracy thus helps in developing a more interactive system to racial view with the utilization of the concept of togetherness. Racial democracy states that there is no presence of a democratic state that is particular to a single race. Racial democracy is more of togetherness than the state’s political structure. It is clear that the United States is made up of a segregated model which creates the issue of inclusionary discrimination. The myth of racial democracy is evident as racial democracy is present in the modern society. However, its general nature and the potential threats and benefits are questionable because it is generally rooted in the notion of white’s superiority. Something that we missed is how racial politics can be utilized for the benefit of every group in a nation.
Work Cited
JLove, , and Marcella Runell. Love, Race, & Liberation: 'til the White Day Is Done. New York: Love-N-Liberation Press, 2010. Print.
Mark Q. Sawyer. Racial Politics in Post-Revolutionary Cuba. Cambridge University Press, 2005.
Morris, Andrea E. Afro-cuban Identity in Postrevolutionary Novel and Film: Inclusion, Loss, and Cultural Resistance. Lewisburg [Pa.: Bucknell University Press, 2012. Print.
Nicole, Smith. Race Cycles Model and Racial Democracy. 2012. Retrieved from http://www.articlemyriad.com/race-cycles-model-racial-democracy/
