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The insidious power of “fake news”: a direct journey from the early global lie of racism to the contemporary political phenomenon.
The insidious power of “fake news”: a direct journey from the early global lie of racism to the contemporary political phenomenon.
Marjorie H. Morgan
“Fake News”
One of the earliest recorded uses of the term “fake news” in the modern era dates back to the late 19th century. It appeared in the United States, in an article published in The Cincinnati Commercial Tribune (1890), in an article discussing the training of newspaper journalists. Another early use appeared in The Buffalo Commercial (7/Oct/1894), where the term was used to criticise the practice of publishing false information as a form of sensationalism. The use of “fake news” at that time reflected growing concerns about journalistic ethics and the reliability of the media who would publish fabricated or misleading information: issues that continue to resonate in contemporary discussions about misinformation.
The term “fake news” was popularised in the 21st century by former U.S. President Donald Trump. During his 2016 presidential campaign and throughout his presidency, Trump frequently used the phrase to describe news stories, particularly those from mainstream media outlets like CNN, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, that he perceived as unfavourable or critical of him.
Trump’s use of the term was not only a way to discredit specific stories but also a broader strategy to undermine the credibility of the media as a whole. By labelling critical coverage as “fake news,” he effectively rallied his supporters against the press, framing the media as biased and untrustworthy. This usage of “fake news” has since become a common part of political rhetoric, often employed by politicians and public figures around the world to dismiss unfavourable or inconvenient reporting.
Modern fake news is intentional deception designed to have a widespread impact. In this respect it bears some of the same hallmarks of systemic historical misinformation that continues to perpetuated the lie that Black and white people are inherently different, with Black people labelled as inferior and white people as superior.
This belief, commonly known as racism, was perpetuated by pseudo-science, religious justifications, and societal norms, which were often presented as truths, and became deeply ingrained in many societies, particularly in the context of the transatlantic slave trade, colonialism, and the white supremacy movement.
Kant and Hume
The Enlightenment period was a time of remarkable intellectual growth and progress, with thinkers like Hume and Kant contributing significantly to modern philosophy, ethics, and politics. However, their work also played a critical role in the development of systemic racism. By promoting racial hierarchies and justifying European superiority, they helped create the ideological foundation for centuries of discrimination and oppression. This has produced a legacy of misinformation that was rooted in Enlightenment thought, and continues to influence global racism today.
_David Hume said, without factual evidence, “I am apt to suspect the negroes to be naturally inferior to whites,” and Immanuel Kant said, “Blacks are naturally inferior,” _
This sentiment of white supremacy is expressed in Kant’s earlier work, including his 1764 essay, Observations on the Feeling of the Beautiful and Sublime, where he discusses racial hierarchies and reflects his view of non-European peoples, particularly Africans, in a derogatory manner; in this essay Kant explicitly categorises races in a hierarchy, placing Black people at the bottom.
Professor Sir Godfrey Palmer, a researcher and activist, noted (2024) that these comments were used to justify the legal economic enslavement of Blacks and still influence racism today.
Hume’s writings contained racist ideas that influenced later thinkers. In his essay, Of National Characters, he claimed that non-white people were naturally inferior to whites in terms of civilisation and cultural achievements. These views, coming from a respected philosopher, lent intellectual credibility to racist ideologies, and his comments aligned with and reinforced existing racist ideologies.
As philosophers, both Hume’s and Kant’s ideas contributed to the development of scientific racism in the 19th century, which attempted to use science to justify racial hierarchies. Their pseudo-scientific approach to racial categorisation provided an intellectual veneer to racist ideologies, justifying colonialism, slavery, and discriminatory practices. Accordingly, their views were used to legitimise European colonial expansion and the subjugation of non-white peoples. In turn this bequeathed academic legitimacy as their racist ideas gained traction in academic circles, influencing future generations of thinkers and policymakers.
The claim that Black people were naturally suited for enslavement or were less than human was a form of systemic misinformation. It was deliberately constructed and disseminated to justify the exploitation, enslavement, and colonisation of Black African peoples. This misinformation was propagated by governments, religious institutions, and embedded in societies as cultural norms.
Despite the fact that the Enlightenment promoted ideas of equality and human rights, the racist views of some of its key figures created a paradox that allowed for the continuation of racist practices alongside progressive ideals.The integration of racist ideas into Enlightenment philosophy made them more difficult to challenge, as they were associated with otherwise progressive and rational thinking, and has had a long lasting impact on the world.
This is an example of a lie that continues to exist in opposition to the truth because a lie, by definition, is a false statement made with the intention to deceive. The construct of race is a lie that contradicts and distorts the underlying truth of a single common human species. Even if the truth is not known to everyone, a lie still exists in contrast to an objective reality or truth - thus it is with racism and the impact of the racist misinformation.
Historical Misinformation - The Foundational Lie
Disinformation became officially racialised when the supposed racial superiority of white people and its dichotomy opposite, the racial inferiority of Black people became deeply entrenched worldview supported by institutions of power. It is a foundational lie that shaped societies and justified horrific actions. While it shares characteristics with modern “fake news,” such as, it was more systemic and deeply rooted in societal structures.
The belief in racial differences and the subjugation of Black people is one of the most significant examples of systemic misinformation in history, it was a deliberate lie spread to achieve the specific ends of the exploitation and oppression of an entire group of people from the African continent.
Racism is a belief system that was initially managed by the people who rule others, i.e. those who occupy positions of power in the areas of religion and organised civilisations.
Many of these people have an historical position in society that was itself gained by the widespread and systematic dissemination of religious dogma or myths, based on traditions of divine authority to legitimise their power, then used their positions to control populations and justify the introduction of more systemic misinformation that reinforced their positions of power and solidified the authority of rulers and the hierarchical structure of society.
Despite the rise of secularism and democratic governance, the legacy of divine rule and religious justification of power can still be seen in many modern political and religious systems, and these establishments still have a significant influence on society.
The Historical Movers and Shakers of Systemic Misinformation
The belief in the divine right of rulers or their god-like status is a powerful example of systemic misinformation that predates global racism. This belief system had a profound impact on the development of societies, the concentration of power, and the perpetuation of social hierarchies. While different in nature, its effects were similarly far-reaching and enduring, making it a significant early example of systemic misinformation.
The origins of global racism and the religious justification of power are deeply intertwined. Religious leaders and institutions played a significant role in legitimising the early stages of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, providing both a theological and moral rationale for the enslavement of African peoples. The papal bulls issued by Pope Nicholas V in the mid-15th century represent the earliest documented instance where religious authority was used to sanction and facilitate the enslavement of Africans, laying the groundwork for the global systemic racism and exploitation that would follow.
In the 16th century, Queen Elizabeth I (1533 - 1603) was the monarch of England and Ireland and as such she provided significant support to the burgeoning slave trade through her association with prominent figures like John Hawkins, who is often credited with leading the first English slave-trading expeditions. In 1564, Queen Elizabeth I granted Hawkins a coat of arms that featured a “bound slave,” symbolising her official recognition of his activities. This royal endorsement lent significant legitimacy to the practice of human trafficking in Africans, setting a precedent for future English involvement in the trade, which would grow significantly in the following centuries.
Queen Elizabeth I’s support of Hawkins’ ventures provided legal and financial backing to this illegal trade thus giving the British royal stamp of approval to reinforce the global lie of white supremacy and Black inferiority.
The Link Between Historical Systemic Misinformation of Global Racism and The Modern “Fake News” Phenomenon
The historical foundation of systemic misinformation was used to entrench racial discrimination and developed into a series of systems and practices that laid the groundwork for the modern use of “fake news” as a tool of power and control.
The spread of systemic misinformation to justify racial hierarchies began in earnest with European colonialism. European powers, particularly the British Empire, employed a range of false narratives like the racist ideology of white supremacy and Black inferiority to legitimise their domination over non-European peoples.
The British Empire, the largest and most influential colonial power, played a crucial role in the institutionalisation of these racist ideologies. The empire’s policies were often explicitly designed to maintain white supremacy and economic exploitation of colonised populations. For instance, in Australia, the White Australia Policy (1901) sought to restrict non-European immigration, reflecting the belief that only white people were fit to inhabit and develop the country. This policy was based on the racist idea that non-whites were inferior and would degrade the social and economic fabric of Australia (Lake & Reynolds, 2008). The policy remained in place for several decades, symbolising the entrenchment of racial hierarchies in law and society.
In India, another jewel in the British crown, the British East India Company and later the British Raj implemented policies that systematically disadvantaged Indians. The racial superiority of the British was promoted to justify their control over a vast and diverse population. The British employed a variety of strategies, including the manipulation of religious and ethnic divisions, to maintain their dominance (Chandra, 2017). These policies were bolstered by a narrative that portrayed Indians as incapable of self-governance, thus necessitating British rule.
South Africa: The Apartheid Regime
In South Africa, the apartheid system represents one of the most explicit and brutal implementations of racial discrimination through legislation. The apartheid regime, which lasted from 1948 to 1994, was built on a foundation of systemic misinformation that portrayed black South Africans as inferior and justified their segregation and economic exploitation.
Apartheid laws such as the Group Areas Act (1950) and the Population Registration Act (1950) were designed to enforce racial segregation in all aspects of life, from housing and education to employment and marriage (Thompson, 2001). The regime employed propaganda to reinforce the idea that racial separation was necessary for social stability and economic progress. This misinformation was propagated both domestically and internationally, with the South African government portraying apartheid as a benevolent system that provided order and prosperity.
The apartheid government also used misinformation to maintain its international standing, presenting itself as a defender of Western civilisation against the perceived threat of communism and African nationalism. This narrative was crucial in securing support from Western powers, who often turned a blind eye to the regime’s human rights abuses.
The Americas: Jim Crow Laws and Racial Discrimination
In 1641, Massachusetts became the first British colony to legalise slavery, formally institutionalising the racist ideology that Africans were property rather than people. Over a period of several centuries the United States continued to build a society where systemic misinformation was central to the enforcement of racial segregation and discrimination.
Under the Jim Crow laws, which were enacted in the late 19th century and remained in force until the mid-1960s, these laws dictated that racial segregation was institutionalised in the Southern states, affecting nearly every aspect of public life.
The Jim Crow system was underpinned by the widespread belief, propagated by both political leaders and the media, that Black Americans were inherently inferior to whites and therefore required separate, lesser facilities and opportunities. This belief was reinforced through various forms of media, including newspapers, films, and even academic publications, which often portrayed Black people in derogatory and dehumanising ways (Woodward, 1955).
One of the most pernicious aspects of this systemic misinformation was the practice of redlining, which began in the 1930s. Redlining involved the denial of financial services, such as mortgages and insurance, to residents of predominantly Black neighbourhoods. The federal government, through institutions like the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC), played a key role in institutionalising redlining, which effectively prevented black families from accumulating wealth through homeownership (Rothstein, 2017).
In Brazil, racial discrimination was also deeply embedded in society, despite the country’s large population of African descent. After the abolition of slavery in 1888, Brazil implemented policies that favoured European immigrants over Afro-Brazilians, reflecting a belief that ‘whitening’ the population would improve the nation’s economic and social prospects (Skidmore, 1974). This belief was rooted in the same pseudo-scientific racism that justified similar policies in Europe and North America.
The_** Lei da Terras (1850)**_, for example, was a land law that effectively excluded Afro-Brazilians and indigenous people from land ownership by requiring cash payments for land, which most former slaves and native populations could not afford. This legislation entrenched economic disparities along racial lines and perpetuated the marginalisation of Afro-Brazilians (Schwarcz & Starling, 2018).
Modern “Fake News” - How Different is it?
The systemic misinformation that underpinned global racism in the 19th and 20th centuries laid the groundwork for the modern use of “fake news” as a political and social tool. Just as earlier misinformation campaigns sought to entrench racial hierarchies and justify discriminatory practices, the contemporary use of “fake news” serves to manipulate public opinion, discredit opposing viewpoints, and maintain existing power structures.
The weaponisation of “fake news” in the 21st century mirrors the tactics used by colonial powers, apartheid regimes, and segregationists to control narratives and suppress dissent. In all cases, the goal is to distort reality to serve specific interests, whether those are the maintenance of racial supremacy or the consolidation of political power.
Political leaders today, much like their historical counterparts, use the term “fake news” to delegitimise media organisations and journalists who challenge their authority. This tactic has been particularly effective in polarising societies, as it creates an environment where facts are contested and truth becomes subjective. The erosion of trust in media institutions, a key consequence of the “fake news” phenomenon, echoes the historical efforts to undermine the credibility of those who opposed systemic racism.
Moreover, just as misinformation was used to justify exclusionary policies in the past, contemporary “fake news” often targets marginalised communities, reinforcing stereotypes and exacerbating social divisions. The digital age has amplified the reach and impact of such misinformation, making it more difficult to combat and more pervasive in its effects.
Recent examples include the misinformation spread about the perpetrator of the 29 July 2024 Southport (UK) stabbings that lead to UK nationwide racist riots; on this occasion the “fake news” appeared - without factual source verification - on the platforms like Twitter/X and Facebook.
The modern phenomenon of “fake news” is deeply rooted in the historical practices of systemic misinformation that were used to justify and maintain global racism. From the British Empire’s policies and the White Australia Policy to South Africa’s apartheid laws and America’s Jim Crow era, the deliberate spread of falsehoods has been a powerful tool for entrenching racial hierarchies and discrimination. These practices have left a lasting legacy, influencing the ways in which misinformation is used today to manipulate public opinion and maintain existing power structures.
As we navigate the challenges posed by “fake news” in contemporary society, it is crucial to recognise its historical antecedents and the role that systemic misinformation has played in shaping our societies.
The -ism described in this essay is racism, and many people in society may believe this does not relate to them.
Whoopi Goldberg, in This Cultural Life podcast (2023), spoke about the 2022 film, Till - a retelling of the story of the life and death by racist lynching of Black teenager Emmett Till in 1955 in Mississippi, USA.
Goldberg stated, “When you realise the meaning of systemic racism, which means any one of us, which means if you’re a gay woman - they’re talking about you, if you’re a woman who doesn’t want to wear the hijab - they’re talking about you. I want everyone to understand that take away the ‘race’ and keep the ‘-ism’ and it’s a movie for you. People say stop talking about it, stop bringing it up, but it is in our world and we’d like to get rid of it but we can only do that if we keep the information in front of people to say, ‘Listen, you don’t want to do this again. Nobody wants to see this again. Nobody want this to continue happening. Whether it’s here in England, or over in America, it doesn’t matter. We don’t want this to continue. The only way to get it to stop happening is to show people what was, and make sure we make sure that it doesn’t continue.”
The continual entrenchment of racism in the social and political fabric of modern societies belies the theory that we have only just, in the 21st Century, entered a post-truth era.
The concepts of information pollution, disinformation, misinformation, and fake news are all types and phases of false information paraded as truth in historical and contemporary societies, therefore post-truth realities have existed as long as the lies they stand in opposition to.
The truth matters. Education about the truth matters.
The journey from the 15th-century global lie of racism to the 21st-century phenomenon of “fake news” demonstrates how systemic misinformation has been used across centuries to justify and perpetuate power structures. From the racial ideologies that underpinned slavery and colonialism to the modern political use of “fake news,” the manipulation of truth has been a constant tool for maintaining control and influencing public perception. Understanding this historical trajectory is crucial for addressing the challenges posed by misinformation today. By understanding these connections, we can better address the root causes of misinformation and work towards a more informed and equitable world.
(3,104 words)
30/08/2024
References
Chandra, B., India’s Struggle for Independence (New Delhi: Penguin Random House India, 2017)
Lake, M. and Reynolds, H., Drawing the Global Colour Line: White Men’s Countries and the International Challenge of Racial Equality (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008)
Hume, D., Essays and Treatises on Several Subjects, 2 vols (London: A. Millar, 1758), I, p. 252
Kant, I., Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View, trans. by R. B. Louden (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006; first publ. 1798)
Rothstein, R., The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America (New York: Liveright Publishing, 2017)
Schwarcz, L. M. and Starling, H. M., Brazil: A Biography (New York: Grove Press, 2018)
Skidmore, T. E., Black into White: Race and Nationality in Brazilian Thought (Durham: Duke University Press, 1974)
Thompson, L., A History of South Africa (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2001)
Woodward, C. V., The Strange Career of Jim Crow (New York: Oxford University Press, 1955)
https://www.britannica.com/question/Who-were-some-of-the-major-figures-of-the-Enlightenment
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-worldhistory2/chapter/the-age-of-enlightenment/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001gwtw
https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-12672
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