ABSTRACT
Innumerable studies of racism have shown that it is associated with personality factors such as authoritarianism, alienation, status consciousness, rigidity (for a review see Blalock, 1967). However, these personality variables and their associated attitudes are merely predisposing influences upon behaviour. How people actually behave in situations of inter-group contact will depend upon a variety of other historical, cultural and situational determinants. Race relations in reality are more complex than psychological studies alone would suggest. Van den Berghe (1967) distinguishes between paternalistic and competitive types of race relations. Paternalistic systems are characteristic of agricultural and pastoral societies or plantation economies. Such societies are rigidly stratified on an ethnic basis and everyone knows 'his place' in the system which operates as a benevolent despotism. In contrast, competitive systems of race relations are characteristic of large-scale industrial societies. There is more mobility, both geographical and social, and race relations are characterized by a competitiveness that generates suspicion and hatred. Under these circumstances, there is a greater 'need' for prejudice on the part of the competing groups, both of whom may exhibit aggressive behaviour towards each other. Van den Berghe's distinction is somewhat oversimplified but it draws attention to the structural and cultural variables that must be taken into account.
