Skip to content
quotesby

About this quote

What does it mean?
Russell rejects the claim that racial mixing is undesirable and notes no evidence that Black people are less intelligent, urging equal conditions for judgment.
In plain terms
There’s no proof that mixed races are bad or that Black people are less smart; fairness requires equal opportunity.
What can you take from it?
Ensure equal social conditions before judging ability.

Where it applies

  • education policy
  • civil rights activism

Putting it to work

  • promote equal schooling
  • challenge racial stereotypes

Questions to consider

  • What concrete steps can create equal social conditions?
  • How to address lingering biases despite equal opportunity?

Another view

The statement assumes future equality will reveal true abilities, which may be contested.

More from Bertrand Russell

  1. Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.

    Permalink to quote #39
  2. Written words differ from spoken words in being material structures. A spoken word is a process in the physical world, having an essential time-order; a writte…

    Permalink to quote #41
  3. All who are not lunatics are agreed about certain things. That it is better to be alive than dead, better to be adequately fed than starved, better to be free …

    Permalink to quote #38

Related quotes

  1. We conclude that, in the field of public education, the doctrine of 'separate but equal' has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.

    Earl WarrenEarl Warren quote #1
  2. 'Can we continue to ask our children to put their studies behind and homework aside in order to fulfill traditional obligations, yet blame other races and the …

    Ro Teimumu KepaRo Teimumu Kepa quote #1
  3. A lot of joblessness in the black community doesn't seem to be reachable through fiscal and monetary policies. People have not been drawn into the labor market…

    William Julius WilsonWilliam Julius Wilson quote #1