Only 67 percent of Whites support individual equality principles.

Evidence

A strong majority of Whites, but far from all of them, support equality in these terms. On a scale created from such items in the 2000 NES, 67 percent of Whites agreed, on average, and 22 percent disagreed (Sears, Henry, & Kosterman, 2000). — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 2181 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

At the same time, there was initially little reason for northern whites to believe that adherence to these principles would require any changes in their own position in society or that of their children. But as the issues shifted from largely southern problems of stateimposed segregation and voting hindrances, to economic and other redistributive issues of national scope (e.g., school busing, affirmative action, and the economic decline of urban areas), many whites no doubt came to sense a greater threat to their position in life. This sense of threat was probably amplified by the use of political slogans like Black Power (Aberbach & Walker, 1970) and the urban unrest of the late 1960s (Ashmore & Del Boca, 1976). Group conflict and ideological processes have thus contributed to the gap between support for racial principles and support for full implementation of such principles, that is, to the development of an ideology of bounded racial change. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3387 (#complicates, via linked claim)

The greater support for group than individual equality is even clearer concerning differences that may affect people’s life chances. Most White Americans comfortably accept such differences among individuals. For example, in one national survey, 93 percent agreed that “Some people are better at running things and should be allowed to do so,” and 85 percent that “Some people are just better cut out than others for important positions in society” (Sears et al., 2000, p. 93). Unequal life chances are simply accepted as the way of the world. But almost all Whites feel that imposing inequalities among groups is unacceptable. When these same questions were reworded to refer to racial groups rather than to individuals, only 14 percent agreed that “some Whites are better at running things than Blacks are and should be allowed to do so” and 8 percent that “some Whites are just better cut out than Blacks for important positions in society.” That is, a broad consensus of Whites repudiates privileged access for advantaged groups. — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 2182 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Only 67 percent of White Americans support racial equality in principle — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 2181; Whites broadly endorse racial equality in principle yet reject concrete equality policies — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2626; Whites support racial equality in principle but resist the policies implementing it — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3332 (+8 more)

Broader Connections

• Only 67 percent of White Americans support racial equality in principle #corroborates (0.98) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 2181
• Whites supported racial equality only while it cost them nothing personally #complicates (0.78) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3387
• Whites accept individual inequality but reject group-based inequality #complicates (0.76) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 2182
• Whites’ support for racial equality principles shrank once implementation threatened their own position #complicates (0.75)