White Opposition to Racial Transformation. Is it Racism?

Abstract

This article endeavours to investigate predictors of opposition to different categories of policy that aim to bring about racial transformation in South Africa. A sample of 134 white university students was used to investigate the structure of racial attitudes and the predictors of racial policy opinion. Factor analysis showed clear distinctions between opinions towards three categories of policy: competitive affirmative action policy, non-competitive reconstruction and development policy, and legislation to outlaw racial discrimination. On the basis of a review of studies conducted in the USA, three sets of variables were included as predictors of racial policy opinion: (a) “symbolic” and “old-fashioned” racism, (b) political and economic intergroup comparisons, and (c) beliefs and values, including egalitarianism and individualism. Regression analysis showed that each type of policy opinion had a different profile of predictors, but that old-fashioned racism was the strongest predictor in all three instances.