Systems of Oppression Essay

Systems of Oppression

Oppression is a systematic way of treating other human beings in dehumanizing ways by subjecting them to suffering and deprivation of such important amenities that would otherwise make them lead a bearable and a comfortable life. It may involve denying them access to education, language, and healthcare. Oppression is orchestrated by government systems such as the police, the military, laws and customs and other practices that lead to inequality in the distribution of resources in society. Oppression systems target specific groups with social identities (Young, 2004).

Principles of Systems of Oppression

Robinson (2010) points out that there are some habits and cultural practices which perpetuate the oppression of individuals and groups. Although they occur in varying forms, the systems assume similar characteristics and principles.

Power: here, the dominant group exercises authority over the subjects through exploitation. Usually, the party on the receiving end has no capacity to resist or ward off such oppression (Robinson, 2010).

Abuse patterns: oppression systems are constituted by a series of abusive acts meant to establish dominance. Racism, for instance, is not a product of an incident. Rather, it has been shaped by a history of discriminatory laws, biased labor practices and lynching (Robinson, 2010).

Social Justification: The dominant group justifies the oppressive acts as a way of maintaining proper social order (Robinson, 2010).

Secrecy: The actual abuse is often concealed from the public (Robinson, 2010).

Distress internally: the differences that arise between the oppressor and the one oppressed are, ideally underlying conflicts in the oppressor but vented out on the oppressed.

The meaning of legitimizing oppression as a social product: Societal institutions proclaim the superiority of the oppressor. History, natural law, science and God's will are often employed by oppressive individuals and groups to emphasize their superiority claim and to diminish the identity of the oppressed (Young, 2004).

Self-fulfilling prophecies- Myths that propagate oppression and used to legitimize acts of oppression are commonly a product of self-fulfilling prophecy (Young, 2004).

Skewed relationships between those oppressed and the ones who oppress: Submission and obedience are common elements observed among the oppressed when interacting and dealing with the oppressors. Commonly, the oppressor demands for what is unreasonable and the oppressed fulfills because of fear and their inferior power and not because they agree with the demands made by the oppressor (Young, 2004).

Marginalization: Restricting or relegating a social group to inferior status and declaring that they cannot be good for some functions but can be used for others even for work purposes. These are groups that have been excluded from productive participation in social activity. They are exposed to serious deprivation. They may even be exterminated because of their race, age, gender or other arbitrary description (Young, 2004).

Exploitation: one social group labors but another one gains from the proceeds of such labor. The oppressive acts are systematically repeatedly, reproduced via oppressive systems. In these systems, those who do not have, spend their energies in uninterrupted fashion…