Erik Bleich
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199739684
- eISBN:
- 9780199914579
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199739684.003.0006
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
It is tempting to assume that liberal democracies have always targeted racial discrimination and hate crimes for specific punishment. But meaningful laws only materialized starting in the 1960s and ...
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It is tempting to assume that liberal democracies have always targeted racial discrimination and hate crimes for specific punishment. But meaningful laws only materialized starting in the 1960s and 1980s respectively. This chapter focuses first on the development of American anti-discrimination laws in the 1960s and hate crime laws in the 1980s and 1990s. Looking closely at this history shows how the country most committed to freedom in some domains was the quickest to forego it in others, and just how extensive its laws against racist opinion-as-motive have become. It then turns to developments in Europe. Many European governments have followed in the United States’ footsteps by establishing laws against racial discrimination and hate crimes, although seldom with similar vigor. Looking in depth at the United States, Britain, and Germany demonstrates the origins, spread, and limits of penalizing racist opinion-as-motive in liberal democracies. Ultimately, this chapter also reveals the internal tensions and transnational differences among countries that attempt to balance upholding freedom and fighting racism in a variety of domains.Less
It is tempting to assume that liberal democracies have always targeted racial discrimination and hate crimes for specific punishment. But meaningful laws only materialized starting in the 1960s and 1980s respectively. This chapter focuses first on the development of American anti-discrimination laws in the 1960s and hate crime laws in the 1980s and 1990s. Looking closely at this history shows how the country most committed to freedom in some domains was the quickest to forego it in others, and just how extensive its laws against racist opinion-as-motive have become. It then turns to developments in Europe. Many European governments have followed in the United States’ footsteps by establishing laws against racial discrimination and hate crimes, although seldom with similar vigor. Looking in depth at the United States, Britain, and Germany demonstrates the origins, spread, and limits of penalizing racist opinion-as-motive in liberal democracies. Ultimately, this chapter also reveals the internal tensions and transnational differences among countries that attempt to balance upholding freedom and fighting racism in a variety of domains.
Erik Bleich
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199739684
- eISBN:
- 9780199914579
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199739684.003.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
How do liberal democracies balance upholding freedom and combating racism when those two values are incompatible? This chapter suggests that all countries must balance these values. It also outlines ...
More
How do liberal democracies balance upholding freedom and combating racism when those two values are incompatible? This chapter suggests that all countries must balance these values. It also outlines the structure of the book, emphasizing the benefits from examining multiple domains of freedom—of speech, association, and opinion-as-motive—and from looking at a wide range of liberal democracies over a long sweep of time. By expanding the discussion in these key ways, this book allows readers to look beyond the narrower discussions about one country or one type of freedom that tend to dominate existing scholarship.Less
How do liberal democracies balance upholding freedom and combating racism when those two values are incompatible? This chapter suggests that all countries must balance these values. It also outlines the structure of the book, emphasizing the benefits from examining multiple domains of freedom—of speech, association, and opinion-as-motive—and from looking at a wide range of liberal democracies over a long sweep of time. By expanding the discussion in these key ways, this book allows readers to look beyond the narrower discussions about one country or one type of freedom that tend to dominate existing scholarship.
