Critical Race Theory is not Marxist

Before one can rebut the insidiously racist worldview of Critical Race Theory (CRT) one must have sufficient analytic precision to know what it is not. CRT is not Marxist.

Marxism looks at society from a class perspective. It views workers through a colorblind lens. Colorblindness is anathema to CRT. Emphasizing racial division among the proletariat is anathema to Marxism.

Long before CRT became a popular punching bag for conservatives, Marxists were taking their own shots at it. Check out what actual Marxists say about CRT in this sample of contemporary communist literature.

• Darder, Antonia. After Race: Racism after Multiculturalism New York University Press, 2004
• Hill, Dave. Race and Class in Britain: A Critique of the Statistical Basis for Critical Race Theory in Britain: And Some Political Implications Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies, 2009
• Cole, Mike. Critical Race Theory and Education: A Marxist Response Palgrave Macmillan, 2009

Professor Mike Cole of Bishop Grosseteste University has become a leading Marxist opponent of CRT. Here is a brief summary of his views:

Of course, both Marxism and CRT can get a little nutty at times. Tribal thinking can put them into the same left-wing bucket, but if you cannot tell the difference, you lack the understanding necessary to effectively debate the issue.

Eric Shierman lives in Salem and is the author of We were winning when I was there.