Racism is defined as attitudes, actions, and policies based on the belief that people in one racial category are

• A. Inherently superior to people in one or more other categories
• B. Inherently inferior to others
• C. Equal to all others
• D. Culturally diverse

Answer: (A)

Racism as a concept centers on a belief that people in one racial category are inherently superior to people in other categories, and that this belief justifies attitudes, actions, and policies that privilege that group over others. This hierarchy and the power to act on it are what make racism more than just dislike or prejudice; they enable unequal treatment embedded in systems and institutions. That’s why the statement about inherent superiority is the best fit. The idea of inherent inferiority describes a related prejudice but doesn’t capture the full structure of racism as a system of advantage based on hierarchy. Seeing groups as equal contradicts racism, and labeling cultures as merely diverse doesn’t address the ranking and justification of unequal treatment that racism relies on.