Racism and slavery were entwined with building the modern world order
In short: A historical analysis of international relations argues that racism, the slave trade and empire-building reinforced each other in ways distinctive to the European and American-led system that became the modern world order. The author traces how racist assumptions were used to justify exclusionary rules for that order, while anti-colonial movements countered by demanding racial equality.
The paper examines how racist assumptions shaped Europe's own ranking of which societies deserved full membership in the international system, and how American leaders, including Woodrow Wilson, sidelined calls for racial equality when the League of Nations and United Nations were founded. It argues mainstream international relations scholarship has largely overlooked this history.
This is a theoretical and historical analysis rather than an experiment: it interprets historical documents and scholarship rather than testing a hypothesis, so its conclusions rest on the author's reading of that record.
Why it matters: Racism was not incidental but structurally embedded in how the modern international order was built.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Research: Acharya (2022). Race and racism in the founding of the modern world order. International Affairs.
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/history-research-racism-and-slavery-helped-shape-the-modern-global-order.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in History · Latest · A–Z · All topics
