Protests against racial inequality has led to serious political polarization in the country where students beside conscious population acted as a mass opposition force in the system of state-monopoly capitalism. In social terms, the youth movement was a reaction to the sharp contradiction between the new processes related to scientific and technological revolution and the capitalist system in its entirety - from the relationship between private owners and government and ending the sphere of culture. Thus, the characteristic of the youth movement was organic plexus social, political and cultural aspects.
The Afro-American question has been on the agenda in the United States since their formation, and in the second half of the twentieth century, it turned mostly a specific problem of the American working class, as the majority black population of the United States during the shifts in social production and development of demographic processes turned into laborers (DiMaggio).
A post-war decade marked by the development and strengthening of the resistance of different racial and ethnic groups, racism, discrimination and segregation, all forms of racial inequality and oppression. Since the mid 50s in the United States turned a mighty movement of the black population in formal equality, against institutionalized segregation and discrimination (DiMaggio). This struggle, which received the support of millions of white Americans contributed activation and other racial and ethnic groups. The peculiarity of the struggle for racial equality in the United States - taking part in it almost all groups of the US population, which in varying degrees, suffer from discrimination, inequality and moral humiliation and were victims of racial prejudice.
The struggle for social and economic equality encountering much more stubborn resistance of the ruling circles than the struggle for civil rights (Davis and Bangs). The conditions which have to operate fighters for racial equality, complicated and weakening support of their claims on the part of white Americans, many of whom regarded the adoption of the Civil Rights Act as a solution to racial problems. Significant changes occurred in the organizational structure of the movement for racial equality (Davis and Bangs). In the middle and second half of the 60s leading role in the movement of blacks and other colored Americans played, the direction of the radical left, most of which have come from the political scene.
During the struggle were demanded to provide all Americans equal rights with whites in economic, political and social fields, in particular to ensure equality in access to employment and education, better housing, proportional representation in local and federal authorities. Pressure civil movement forced the Congress to adopt a number of laws on the civil rights of all races of the nation. So, in 1964 came into force a law banning racial discrimination in public places (Davis and Bangs). The following year, Congress passed a law that removed the most important obstacle in the implementation of black citizens the right to vote. Special law in 1966 was banned discrimination in rental housing.
Enhancing the fight against racial discrimination was caused by several factors. First change the social structure of the African-American population, representing 10 - 11% of the population. Previously, African-Americans live in mostly rural areas of the southern states, after the war is a mass migration of blacks to the cities. The active participation of the flag of the United States in the war, migration to the cities, the growth of the national liberation movement in the colonies and dependent countries, particularly in Africa - all contributed to the growth of the black consciousness US population (Feagin and Bennefield). Most likely caused outrage racial segregation - a policy of forced separation of black and white population that existed in the southern states in educational institutions, the sphere of consumer services, transport and so on.
Acquired a mass character student movement. Foremost in this movement programs took calls the fight against social injustice, poverty, racial discrimination, the Vietnam War, in respect of the rights of ethnic, confessional and other minorities, improving education. Reaching youth movement in the United States that, acting hand-in-hand with the movement of African-Americans for civil rights and anti-war movement, he was able to enhance progressive forces of society. The massive antiwar movement led to the growth of far-right movements and feelings that fed racism and anti-communism.
Antiwar struggle, along with other social protest movements of the late 60 years had a great influence on the life of American society. This struggle is largely co-operated so that the everyday consciousness of Americans begin the complex process of blur stereotypes about "perfection" America - the "defender of freedom and democracy" (Morello-Frosch and Jesdale).
Along with other international political and economic factors, a widespread antiwar movement led to the fact that the US imperialist bourgeoisie after the war largely lost its freedom of action, was forced to adapt to the changed balance of power in the international arena and in the US. Anti-war movement, unfolding recovery in terms of social protest during 60 years, outgrown traditional bourgeois pacifism. Intensified anti-imperialist trends, which are closely intertwined with the general democratic struggle of the American people. Thus, the anti-war movement has become a serious political factor that influenced how the moral view of society and the policy of the ruling circles of the United States.
Works Cited
Davis, Larry E. and Ralph Bangs. "Race In America: Restructuring Inequality". School Of Social Work University Of Pittsburgh: Center On Race And Social Problems (2010): n. pag. Web. 26 July 2016. Accessed at http://www.crsp.pitt.edu/sites/default/files/RaceRelationsReport_001.pdf
DiMaggio, Anthony. "Why Black Lives Matter Won’T Go Away: A Primer On Systemic Racism In America". Counter Punch (2016): n. pag. Web. 26 July 2016. Accessed at http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/07/18/why-black-lives-matter-wont-go-away-a-primer-on-systemic-racism-in-america/
Feagin, Joe and Zinobia Bennefield. "Systemic Racism And U.S. Health Care". Social Science & Medicine 103.7 (2014): n. pag. Web. 26 July 2016. Accessed at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24507906
Morello-Frosch, Rachel and Bill M. Jesdale. "Separate And Unequal: Residential Segregation And Estimated Cancer Risks Associated With Ambient Air Toxics In U.S. Metropolitan Areas". Department of Community Health, School of Medicine 114.3 (2006): n. pag. Web. 26 July 2016. Accessed at http://envirohealth.berkeley.edu/CommEH/Morello-Frosch2006.pdf
