Racism is a white man's 'invention'By Palash Krishna Mehrotra
A poll published by the Washington Post last month has revealed India to be the second-most racist country in the world after Jordan.
Among the most tolerant societies are the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Britain, for example, is supposed to be more tolerant of people speaking a different language and practising a different faith.
Britons are also not averse to having foreigners as neighbours, something Indians are apparently not comfortable with.
The poll is riddled with flaws. For one, race is a tricky term. We might be bigoted, prejudiced and illiberal. We are casteist, yes, and we divide ourselves on the basis of region and religion, but racist? I would hold my horses. This is a matter for debate.
Strictly speaking, racism is a white man's 'invention'. People whose skin is white have historically considered themselves superior to those with darker skin tones.
That's what lay at the heart of slavery and colonialism. And if this is true, then Indians cannot be racist by definition.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2342280/Racism-white-mans-invention-Indians-bigoted-prejudiced-intolerant-racist-Lets-hold-horses.html