Scientific racism

Ethnographic world map (1908)

Scientific racism or biological racism, referred to by its supporters as racialism, race realism, or race science, is the unsubstantiated belief that the human species can be subdivided into biologically distinct taxa called races, and that empirical evidence exists to support or justify racial differences or discrimination. Before the mid-20th century, scientific racism was accepted throughout the scientific community, but is now rejected by the modern scientific consensus.

Quotes

18th century

• We find five Sorts of Men; the White Men, which are Europeans, that have Beards; and a sort of White Men in America (as I am told) that only differ from us in having no Beards. The third sort are the Malatoes, which have their Skins almost of a Copper Colour, small Eyes, and strait black Hair. The fourth Kind are the Blacks, which have strait black Hair: And the fifth are the Blacks of Guiney, whose Hair is curl'd, like the Wool of a Sheep, which Difference is enough to shew us their Distinctions; for, as to their Knowledge, I suppose there would not be any great Difference, it is was possible they could be all born of the same Parents, and have the same Education, they would vary no more in Understanding than Children of the same House.
  • Richard Bradley, Philosophical Account of the Works of Nature (1721), p. 169

• If the only rule afforded by nature for classing animals can be depended upon, there are different species of men as well as of dogs: a mastiff differs not more from a spaniel, than a white man from a negro, or a Laplander from a Dane. And if we have any belief in Providence, it ought to be so.
  • Henry Home, Lord Kames, Sketches of the History of Man, 2nd ed., Vol. 1 (1778), p. 20

• Food is extremely precarious in the hunter-state; sometimes superabounding with little fatigue, sometimes failing after great fatigue. A savage, like other animals of prey, has a stomach adjusted to that variety: he can bear a long fast; and gorges voraciously when he has plenty, without being the worse for it. Whence it is, that barbarians, who have scarce any sense of decency, are great and gross feeders. ... Barbarians are equally addicted to drunkenness; and peculiarly fond of spirituous liquors.
  • Henry Home, Lord Kames, Sketches of the History of Man, 2nd ed., Vol. 2 (1778), pp. 109–110

• Rufus, cholericus, rectus. Pilis: nigris, rectis, crassis. Naribus: Patulis. Facie: ephelitica. Mento: subimberbi. Pertinax, contentus, liber. Pingit: Se lineis daedaleis rubris. Regitur Consuetudine.
  Albus, sanguineus, torosus. Pilis flavescentibus, prolixis. Oculis caeruleis. Levis, argutus, inventor. Tegitur Vestimentis arctis. Regitur Ritibus.
  Luridus, melancholicus, rigidus. Pilis nigricantibus. Oculis fuscis. Severus, fastuosus, avarus. Tegitur Indumentis laxis. Regitur Opinionibus.
  Niger, phlegmaticus, laxus. Pilis atris, contortuplicatis. Cute holosericea. Naso simo. Labiis tumidis. Feminis sinus pudoris. Mammae lactantes prolixae. Vafer, segnis, negligens. Ungit se pingui. Regitur Arbitrio.
• Red, choleric, upright; black, straight, thick hair; nostrils flared; face freckled; beardless chin; stubborn, zealous, free; painting themself with red lines; governed by habit.
  White, sanguine, muscular; with yellowish, long hair; blue eyes; gentle, acute, inventive; covered with close vestments; governed by customs.
  Yellow, melancholic, stiff; black hair, dark eyes; austere, haughty, greedy; covered with loose clothing; governed by beliefs.
  Black, phlegmatic, relaxed; black, frizzled hair; silky skin, flat nose, tumid lips; females with elongated labia; mammary glands give milk abundantly; sly, lazy, negligent; anoints themself with grease; governed by caprice.
  • Carl Linnaeus, Systema Naturae (1767)

20th century

• The ethnic focus of the yellow world has always been China. Since the dawn of history this immense human ganglion has been the centre from which civilization has radiated throughout the Far East.
  • Lothrop Stoddard, The Rising Tide of Color Against White World-Supremacy (1920), Ch. II

• The yellow world did not feel the full tide of white aggression till the middle of the last century, while even then it never really lost its political independence and soon reacted so powerfully that its political freedom has to-day been substantially regained. The brown world, on the other hand, felt the impact of the white tide much earlier and was politically overwhelmed.
  • Lothrop Stoddard, The Rising Tide of Color Against White World-Supremacy (1920), Ch. III

• The black race has never shown real constructive power. It has never built up a native civilization. Such progress as certain negro groups have made has been due to external pressure and has never long outlived that pressure’s removal, for the negro, when left to himself, as in Haiti and Liberia, rapidly reverts to his ancestral ways. The negro is a facile, even eager, imitator; but there he stops. He adopts; but he does not adapt, assimilate, and give forth creatively again.
  • Lothrop Stoddard, The Rising Tide of Color Against White World-Supremacy (1920), Ch. IV

About

• "Might makes right" has been, through the ages, sufficient justification for territorial conquest, economic exploitation, and the enslavement of some human groups by others. In time, however, "might makes right" ceased to be acceptable, and it was necessary for dominant groups to develop other arguments which would permit them, with a semblance of morality and even of justice, to continue their socio-economic control of great regions of the world.
  • Juan Comas, "'Scientific' Racism Again?", Current Anthropology, Vol. 2, No. 4 (1961). p. 303 303–40