Supremacism

Supremacism is a political and social ideology based on the claim that a particular group—such as a racial, national, religious, gender, or cultural group—is inherently superior to others, and therefore has the right to govern, hold power, or possess greater rights. The ideology combines two elements: a claimed natural hierarchy, and a political consequence that power should be distributed in accordance with that hierarchy.

Supremacism differs from and goes beyond personal hatred. When it becomes a political program, it becomes a system of law and institutions: voting regulations, land ownership, education, employment, and policing can all be structured so that the favored group maintains dominance. Historically, such claims have been backed by pseudoscientific ideas, religious interpretation, and nationalist mythology.

Common types

Racial supremacism claims that a particular race is superior; the most well-known example is white supremacism, which was embedded in colonial systems, Jim Crow segregation in the American South, and apartheid in South Africa. There also exists ethnic supremacism, which grants one ethnic group the right to land and state; religious supremacism, which claims one religion alone can legitimately hold power; and male supremacism, which grants men authority over the household and society.

How it operates

Supremacist groups typically employ a consistent rhetoric: defining "us" and "them"; making alarming claims that the other group threatens or corrupts the superior group; and proposing solutions through segregation, expulsion, or direct rule. Some political parties and movements use culturally coded language (such as "cultural preservation") to present hierarchy as an acceptable public argument.

Legal and international response

International agreements, notably the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), require states to combat racial and ethnic discrimination. Many countries have criminalized incitement to hatred and violent extremism. Persistently contested questions include the boundary between freedom of speech and prohibition of hate speech, and how to measure systematic discrimination that lacks explicit legal codification.