W.E.B. DuBois superbly argued that whiteness serves as a "public and psychological wage," delivering to poor whites in the 19^th and early 20^th centuries a valuable social status derived from their classification as "not-black." The claims embedded in DuBois's thesis include: A) that whiteness provides meaningful "compensation" for citizens otherwise exploited by the organization of capitalism. B) that the value of whiteness depends on the devaluation of black existence. C) that benefits enjoyed by whites are not strictly monetary. D) All the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

DuBois's thesis suggests that whiteness offered non-monetary benefits to poor whites by elevating their social status above that of Black people, effectively compensating them within a capitalist society that otherwise exploited them. This compensation depended on the devaluation of Black existence, making all the statements correct.

WEB DuBois Superbly Argued That Whiteness Serves as a "Public