Introduction:
The objective of the government or a
social planner is to eliminate all existing unfreedoms in society to enhance
the capabilities of the people. However, we often observe that policies are
designed to fulfill the objectives of political parties, while the adverse
consequences of such policies disproportionately affect the poor. One example
of such a policy is the Jim Crow law, which prevailed in the United States
(mainly in the South) from 1870 to 1965. Aimed at providing equal opportunity
for the African-American community in a segregated manner, this law created
numerous distortions and marked the birth of racial discrimination in the
United States. The separation of all public facilities, such as education, health,
housing, and transportation, worsened the situation for colored individuals.
Another threat to African-American people was lynching, a death sentence
imposed on an alleged colored person by a white mob without any legal
jurisdiction. The Great Debater (2007), directed by Denzel Washington, is the story of a visionary African-American
professor who believes education is the only way out of the darkness. He
enhanced the debating skills of a few students, who later became
leaders and played an important role in abolishing such policies.
 |
| Source: IMDb, IMDb rating of 7.5 |
Plot:
The Great Debaters is based on the drawbacks of Jim Crow laws and highlights the situation of African Americans during the 1930s. Melvin B. Tolson (Denzel Washington), a professor at Wiley College, uses debating to enhance the abilities of the four colored students who make up the college's debate team. After defeating other similar community colleges and universities, they earned the opportunity to debate against a white people dominating institution, Oklahoma City University, tackling the topic of “Negroes should be admitted to state university” (Jim Crow law) and ultimately overcoming their opponent. They also make history by defeating Harvard University without Mr. Tolson's assistance, showcasing their improved skills and capability to challenge an unjust system. The use of powerful statements like “An unjust Law is no law at all,” “Negroes people are not just another color in the American fabric, they are the thread that holds it all together..”, "the time for justice, the time for freedom, the time for equality is always RIGHT NOW.." and so on make the movie very inspirational. Education, the power of logic, and debate empowered these students to forge their own identities.
Critical view:
The African Americans were used as
slaves until 1865 when the thirteenth amendment to the United States Constitution
was passed. The concept was “keep the body, take the mind.” They were the most
vulnerable, with little access to education, health, wealth, and political
power. The political group, composed of landlords and economically influential
individuals, primarily white, implemented the Jim Crow law. This allowed them
to maintain the status of colored people as before and gain from it
economically and politically. These laws created unfreedom and lowered the capabilities
of the most vulnerable people in society. Mr. Tolson uses the power of words to
shape his students and endow them with the weapon of reasoning. This increases
the capability of these students, who are the future of society. In the present
scenario, African Americans' educational attainment helped them establish a
respectable position in American culture. The use of logical statements and
arguments makes the movie unique. The film highlights the role of public debate
and education among the poor in building a well-structured society. A logically
well-structured discussion can help secure our rights, enhancing
our capacity and society.
Human development
prospects:
The movie is not just about the debate team of a community college (African American) but also about the suffering of these people who have significantly endured due to the government's flawed policies. Additionally, the film illustrates the violation of various Rawls' principles of Justice.
(1) The discrimination against colored
people is a violation of human rights, and it also widens the social gapes. The
segregated education, health, and other social services lead to a lower quality
of education, and the health of African Americans is against the fundamental
rights of the citizens of a country. It violates the Rawlsian principle of
“free and equal citizen.”
(2) The movie also depicts the
injustices against a specific section of people. Lynching an alleged person
without any legal process just because he is colored is evidence of the
unjustness of contemporary society. Both 1 and 2 led to a violation of the
“first principle of justice,” which states that;
“Each person has the same
indefeasible claim to a fully adequate scheme of equal basic liberties, which
scheme is compatible with the same scheme of liberties for all…” (p.g.
42, Rawls, 2001)
(3) These discriminating policies,
which are the huddles in the development path of African American people, are implemented
by white people who have both political and economic power. The loopholes and
the lack of proper scrutiny of these policies lead to widespread suffering and
humiliation. This is a violation of the “second principle of justice,” which
states that;
“…Social and economic
inequalities are to satisfy two conditions; first, they are to be attached to
offices and positions open to all under conditions of fair equality of
opportunity; and second, they are to be to the greater benefit of the least
advantaged member of society.” (p.g. 42, Rawls, 2001)
The critical message that the movie conveys
is the importance of education and debate. One logical conclusion is that if a
policy lacks counter-debate, it may become unjust. However, if the policy
undergoes proper debate and counter-debate, it will enhance the capability of
the people and society's welfare. The movie focuses on the role of education
and discussion in building the capability of the poor and backward sections.
References:
[1] Rawls, J (2001) Justice as
Fairness: A Restatement, The Belknap Press
[2] Sen, Amartya (1999) Development
as Freedom, Oxford University Press, Delhi
[3] Sen, Amartya (1985) Commodities
and Capabilities, Oxford University Press, Delhi
Web sites:
[4] http://www.jimcrowhistory.org/history/creating2.htm
[5] http://www.jimcrowhistory.org/resources/lessonplans/hs_es_passing_for_white.htm
[6] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynching_in_the_United_States
BY
Dr. Akash Kumar Baikar
Assistant Professor
DoE, SBSS, MRIIRS
