Racial Capitalism: A Guide for the Naysayer

Racial capitalism is celebrated by its adherents, as a concept that links together the ideological political processes of ‘race’-making and the accumulation of wealth. But it is also derided by its critics, as a mere fad that lacks analytical rigour. As an unashamedly political term that has influenced generations of thinkers and activists that are conversant with Black radical thought, it is bound to inspire such different reactions. This chapter is an attempt to do justice to racial capitalism as a concept, by arguing that it is a valuable resource for understanding the political and economic system it was created to describe. What follows, therefore, is a short introduction to what racial capitalism is, does and why it matters.