Pitkin’s Resolve to Citizenship as Standing In Joel Olson’s book The Abolition of White Democracy, Olson explores the origins of racism in America and how the inequality in political power among races, or “citizenship as standing,” has its roots in America’s greatest injustice: racial slavery (Olson 42). Racial slavery has led to further problems in America such as what Olson refers to as “white citizenship” (Olson 44). Hanna Pitkin breaks down the merging of public and private life and how a united community, or a group that is connected by “the transformation of social conditions into political issues” can be used to the citizen’s advantage in her essay Justice: On Relating Public and Private (Pitkin 346). Hanna Pitkin’s ideas can be applied
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Pitkin argues that “it is the connection that matters, the transformation of social conditions into political issues, of need and justice into principle and justice” (Pitkin 346). This connection can spark real political action among citizens, regardless of other defining features. “The social,” a concept created by Hannah Arendt, can be used to create just citizen activity and unite citizens rather than create the passive action Arendt fears (qtd. in Pitkin 333). This citizen activity must be aimed at Pitkin’s idea of justice. As Olson points out, “citizenship as standing” has a negative impact on democracy. He explains that this type of citizenship discourages many from taking real political action and “produce[s] a passive form of citizenship that is disinclined toward expanded participation” (Olson 78). Abolishing this form of citizenship is in the community’s best interest, so the “social condition” of “white normalization” should transform into a “political issue” that will create the ideal united community. White citizens must understand that their unequal power is a “political issue” and that the abolition of it is in the community’s and their own best interest. Once this transformation occurs and this united community is created, political justice will …show more content…
Pitkin wants citizens to come together under just and communal causes, so citizens can identify and establish relationships with each other. Pitkin believes that citizens can address the inequality of political power that comes with “citizenship as standing” by becoming familiar with one another’s position in society: “of course politics is also about defining relative status and power and privilege, which also defines the nature of our community and the norms and principles we shall live in” (Pitkin 346). When citizens define the nature of their community and become acquainted with one another, they make connections and can see the interests their fellow citizen has at stake. With these connections, white citizens can self-assess their political power when their non-white neighbor expresses the injustice of “citizenship as standing” in the community. This allows the community to actively work and unite under this cause to fix this problem. At this point it becomes evident that “white citizenship” does not have political power and is rather a false sense of
Pitkin argues that “it is the connection that matters, the transformation of social conditions into political issues, of need and justice into principle and justice” (Pitkin 346). This connection can spark real political action among citizens, regardless of other defining features. “The social,” a concept created by Hannah Arendt, can be used to create just citizen activity and unite citizens rather than create the passive action Arendt fears (qtd. in Pitkin 333). This citizen activity must be aimed at Pitkin’s idea of justice. As Olson points out, “citizenship as standing” has a negative impact on democracy. He explains that this type of citizenship discourages many from taking real political action and “produce[s] a passive form of citizenship that is disinclined toward expanded participation” (Olson 78). Abolishing this form of citizenship is in the community’s best interest, so the “social condition” of “white normalization” should transform into a “political issue” that will create the ideal united community. White citizens must understand that their unequal power is a “political issue” and that the abolition of it is in the community’s and their own best interest. Once this transformation occurs and this united community is created, political justice will …show more content…
Pitkin wants citizens to come together under just and communal causes, so citizens can identify and establish relationships with each other. Pitkin believes that citizens can address the inequality of political power that comes with “citizenship as standing” by becoming familiar with one another’s position in society: “of course politics is also about defining relative status and power and privilege, which also defines the nature of our community and the norms and principles we shall live in” (Pitkin 346). When citizens define the nature of their community and become acquainted with one another, they make connections and can see the interests their fellow citizen has at stake. With these connections, white citizens can self-assess their political power when their non-white neighbor expresses the injustice of “citizenship as standing” in the community. This allows the community to actively work and unite under this cause to fix this problem. At this point it becomes evident that “white citizenship” does not have political power and is rather a false sense of