Politics Quote by CLR James
““The race question is subsidiary to the class question in politics, and to think of imperialism in terms of race is disastrous. But to neglect the racial factor as merely incidental as an error only less grave than to make it fundamental. There were Jacobin workmen in Paris who would have fought for the blacks against Bonaparte's troops. But the international movement was not then what is it to-day, and there were none in San Domingo. The black labourers saw only the old slave-owning whites.””
About This Quote
Source Book: “The Black Jacobins”, 1938
Class struggle is primary; race matters but should not dominate political analysis, though ignoring it entirely is also wrong.
In simple terms: Class is primary, but race cannot be ignored.
Key Takeaway
Balance class and race in political critique.
Themes
politics
class
race
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
theoretical
historical
When to use this quote
- labor movements
- policy debates
- education
- activism
Key Concepts
marxist analysis
colonialism
intersectionality
Questions to Reflect On
- How can movements integrate class and race?
- What risks arise from ignoring either factor?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on class can erase racial experiences.
