Which statement defines racism as 'prejudice plus power'?

Which statement defines racism as 'prejudice plus power'?

• A. Prejudice Alone Causes Racism
• B. Prejudice Plus Power Equals Racism
• C. Power Equals Racism Only If Actions Are Violent
• D. Racism Is Only Structural and Not About Attitudes

Answer: (B)

Racism is best understood as a combination of biased beliefs about a group and the social power to turn those beliefs into action through institutions, policies, and norms. The statement that defines racism as prejudice plus power captures this dynamic: prejudice by itself is personal bias, but when that bias is backed by the power to shape outcomes—like hiring, housing, policing, and lawmaking—it becomes systemic racism. The other options don’t fit because prejudice alone doesn’t produce the full societal effect without power backing it; power without biased beliefs can promote other forms of oppression but isn’t racism per se; and racism isn’t limited to violent actions or to structures alone—the attitudes that justify those structures matter too.

Racism is best understood as a combination of biased beliefs about a group and the social power to turn those beliefs into action through institutions, policies, and norms. The statement that defines racism as prejudice plus power captures this dynamic: prejudice by itself is personal bias, but when that bias is backed by the power to shape outcomes—like hiring, housing, policing, and lawmaking—it becomes systemic racism.

The other options don’t fit because prejudice alone doesn’t produce the full societal effect without power backing it; power without biased beliefs can promote other forms of oppression but isn’t racism per se; and racism isn’t limited to violent actions or to structures alone—the attitudes that justify those structures matter too.