The oppressive systems are inbuilt into our society through the cultural values and habits we support to subjugate some people or a group people. There are many forms of these systems, but they all have the same structures. In focus of California’s history, an oppressive regime formed around the race, class and gender group because of the migration. Consequently, the people with the high position in society thought of themselves to be superior and as a result, they propagated oppression to other people groups and eventually the oppressive system gained mileage.
In the world, we have so many people of different culture in many different countries, yet they have not adopted ways to live peacefully in their land. In 1492 the Californian indigenous people co-existed peacefully with one another. Later, people from the western culture started streaming in the land, during this time the western culture of materialism and Christianity mindset started to be pressed into the Native Americans in California. This out lightly, as a result of the oppressive system, was a disregard of indigenous people rights of their culture.
Institutionalized oppression often produces inequality in dealing with people of the certain group. This is certainly, established by laws and customs which enhance oppressive practices and eventually empower people with tyrannical intentions to practice oppression freely. Consequently, people of different race and those of the gender that is considered inferior find themselves in trouble because the propagators of oppression are strongly backed up the systems. The oppressor consider it privilege over the oppressed people group.
Firstly, racial oppression is unjust restrains imposed to a specific race because of the color of their skin. Racial oppression takes many forms which are socially supported by those who practice the vice. Just because of the color of your skin they could be exploited or mistreated by the oppressor with no escape to fight for their rights. The very common form of racial oppression is geographical displacement that greatly affected the Native American. These indigenous people were relocated to Indian reservations or even killed during the fight for the land. Others like African were made to work on the plantation without pay, and they were not allowed to leave the workplace. Discrimination was another form of racial oppression. However, it was not legally backed but took place every day in social dealings. One could not be promoted or hired for a job because of their race.
Secondly, the classism oppression is the prejudice based on the ranking in the society. Though the class is unspoken ranking on the bases of income, education, power, wealth or status, it is evident. A class is constructed by many people who share common economic or social position based on their wealth, power, education, skills, political affiliation or position status. The oppression of the poor and the working class has led to depriving of their basic needy and, as a result, has made this people groups feel inferior to the upper class of people. Although class oppression is common across the world and not only in California, sometimes it seems invisible. However, it is a source of suffering for many people.
Thirdly, men are valued than women in most of our culture. This favoritism has been a source of turmoil for many women in our society. There too many women who have suffered at the hands of men who have physically harmed them. It is very few place where both women and men have equal rights. Femininity has been looked down upon by some stereotypes which perpetuate this lost ideology because it has caused many women’s societal status and opportunity to be affected greatly.
In conclusion, through all these forms of oppression people develop resistant behavior to stand for their right. This is more of moral obligation to fight for the equality – for women, and rights. Any society that treats its women like second-class citizens is doomed to fail and rug behind in the economic development. The evident struggle for liberation from various oppression forms is seen. In late 20th century many liberation movements we staged to enable mass critic of institutionalized oppression which enforced over time. Although the patterns of oppression still find way to group, nowadays many people are sensitive to their right. Also in many societies, racial oppression has lessened.
Bibliography
Cheney, Carol, LaFrance, Jeannie, Quinteros; Institutionalized Oppression Definitions. 2006.
www.merriam-webster.com.
Archived from the original on 2017-04-25. Retrieved 2017-04-24
http://www.creativeconflictresolution.org/jc/maps-1/systems-of-oppression.html
https://digitalscholarship.tsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1043&context=jpmsp
