Is Critical Race Theory Marxist?
by Ian Paul and Matthew Morgan, Psephizo:
What is the connection between Marxist thinking, Critical Race Theory, and actions by churches (including the Church of England) to address the perceived experience of racial injustice? The question is contested, but it is not straightforward, since Critical Race Theory has a complex intellectual history, and the underlying assumptions in the debates about race and ethnicity are not always evident from the language used on the surface.
In this helpful essay, Matthew Morgan explores the connections and parallels, looking back at the origins of Critical Theory and Critical Race Theory. It is a longer read than usual—but bear with it, since it makes some important observations!
Matthew Morgan writes: The theoretical underpinning of Critical Race Theory (CRT) has been much debated. For critics such as James Lindsay, it is a Marxist attempt to spread chaos and foment unrest in the West, especially America. (James Lindsay, Critical Race Theory 2020). For advocates, it is a necessary and vital corrective to current Western culture and Christianity. Descriptions of CRT as Marxism are therefore perceived as hurtful attempts to malign this much needed work. (See Christianity and Critical Race Theory Robert Romero, Liou Chao, and M Jeff. 2023, p 9)
In what follows, I will attempt to outline the ideological roots of CRT in Marxist thought as it was developed by the Frankfurt School and by Antonio Gramsci. After doing this, I will explain some of the claims being made in popular culture from within the CRT framework and then pose what I consider to be a particular problem for CRT.
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