In this session, Professor Jared Ball critically examines capitalism’s systemic nature and its impacts on Black and African diaspora communities. He emphasizes how institutional education rarely addresses capitalism, forcing many to rely on self-study to understand its effects. Ball highlights the growing disparity between worker wages and accumulated wealth, pointing to psychological warfare and media propaganda that obscure economic realities and maintain societal control.
He critiques the myth of Black capitalism as a diversion from collective liberation and stresses the planned nature of economic inequality, perpetuated through public policy designed to benefit a small elite. Ball also discusses how technology, including blockchain and cryptocurrency, often reinforces existing power structures rather than democratizing wealth. Financial literacy, commonly promoted as a tool for economic advancement, is deconstructed as a mechanism that shifts blame onto individuals rather than addressing systemic exploitation.
The session underscores the urgent need for political education, collective action, and policy reforms focused on wealth redistribution and genuine economic justice. Through a robust Q&A, Ball challenges dominant narratives and encourages critical reflection, emphasizing that revolutionary change requires understanding and confronting the structural roots of inequality.
This masterclass offers a powerful framework for understanding capitalism’s racialized dynamics and the media’s role in perpetuating myths, advocating for a collective movement toward systemic transformation and Black liberation.
