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The term gained wide popularity during the nineteenth and early twentieth century because of the much narrower (compared to modern late twentieth century) definition of "whiteness". During the early years of the Republic, a white person could more accurately be defined as a white land holder, usually of Anglo-Saxon heritage and always protestant. Over the years this ethnic and social identifier has been shorthanded as WASP. Though not always true in practice, the identfier was true in stereotype. Because of this narrow definition of what it was to be white, the vast majority of the country was in some sense considered non-white. Obviously slaves that were descended from Africans were non-white, but so were Native Americans, Asians, and more and more as the century progressed so to the progressively growing mass of impverished European immigrants. |
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The term gained wide popularity during the nineteenth and early twentieth century because of the much narrower (compared to modern late twentieth century) definition of "whiteness". During the early years of the Republic, a white person could more accurately be defined as a white land holder, usually of Anglo-Saxon heritage and always protestant. Over the years this ethnic and social identifier has been shorthanded as WASP?. Though not always true in practice, the identfier was true in stereotype. Because of this narrow definition of what it was to be white, the vast majority of the country was in some sense considered non-white. Obviously slaves that were descended from Africans were non-white, but so were Native Americans, Asians, and more and more as the century progressed so to the progressively growing mass of impverished European immigrants. |
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The class of non-whites exploded along with immigration, and a formalized interest in studying their poverty as a genetic disease that could be approached in terms akin to animal husbandry was preferred by the "white" upper class. And so the manner of the non-whiteness was categorized and systematized into the flourishing field of eugenics. Much of this research was focused in the early study of [criminal science]?, or forensics?. (does someone know the name of the guy who pioneered this field?) Ethnographic research, especially with regards to the physical traits of an ethnic group, became closely tied to the study of the immigrant crime problem. And so the early biometrics of forensics were used to describe the form and appearance of the criminal animal. Cranial measurements, fingerprints, height and weight and skin color all became associated in huge indexed arrays to these names of the non-whites: Irishman, Pole, German, Jew, Negro. Mug shots are a living remnant of this obsession with cataloguing as it peaked in the Victorian era. |
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The class of non-whites exploded along with immigration, and a formalized interest in studying immigrant poverty as a genetic disease that could be approached in terms akin to animal husbandry was preferred by the "white" upper class. Manner of non-whiteness wwere categorized and systematized into the flourishing field of eugenics. Much of this research was focused in the early study of [criminal science]?, or forensics?. (does someone know the name of the guy who pioneered this field?[What field? Eugenics? Shockley?] Ethnographic research, especially with regards to the physical traits of an ethnic group, became closely tied to the study of the immigrant crime problem. And so the early biometrics of forensics were used to describe the form and appearance of the criminal animal. Cranial measurements, fingerprints, height and weight and skin color all became associated in huge indexed arrays to these names of the non-whites: Irishman, Pole, German, Jew, Negro. Mug shots are a living remnant of this obsession with cataloguing as it peaked in the Victorian era. |
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And by this manner, the popular science of ethnography came into the popular vernacular. And so on the one hand, a science of stereotypes was evolving throughout the nineteenth century, and on the other a culture of categorization was proliferating amongst the competing groups. So coloquial insults took on national and archetypal significance. |
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Thus the popular(?) science of ethnography came into the popular vernacular. On one hand, a science of stereotypes was evolving throughout the nineteenth century, and on the other a culture of categorization was proliferating amongst the competing groups. Colloquial insults took on national and archetypal significance. |
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And so "white trash" more directly entered the broad popular lexicon. It became a group identity used widely in discussing race politics for the next 150 years. Within this structure there were Whites, Blacks, White Trash and other non-whites. Over the years it became an issue of choosing sides. Many immigrant groups who had initially been identified as non-white before the Civil War (the Irish are a prime example), quickly began to assimilate in the face of the growing post-war Anti-Black focus. And as the ranks of the rich white upper class grew with addition of successful minority "white" groups, so too the ranks of those "whites" who still hadn't succeeded. |
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And so "white trash" more directly entered the broad popular lexicon. It became a group identity used widely in discussing race politics for the next 150 years. Within this structure there were Whites, Blacks, White Trash and other non-whites. Over the years it became an issue of choosing sides (Really? An example would help here, something concrete that could be verified independently). Many immigrant groups who had initially been identified as non-white before the Civil War (the Irish are a prime example), quickly began to assimilate in the face of the growing post-war Anti-Black focus. And as the ranks of the rich white upper class grew with addition of successful minority "white" groups, so too the ranks of those "whites" who still hadn't succeeded. |
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Thus, a common definition of White Trash (shown below) has evolved which is problematic. Not because the below possible definition is wrong, per se, but because the idea of definition is, itself, problematic when identifying ethnic groups or classes. |
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Thus, a common definition of White Trash (shown below) has evolved which is problematic. Not because the below possible definition is wrong, per se, but because the idea of definition is, itself, problematic when identifying ethnic groups or classes. (If the mere idea of definition is problematic, how then to proceed?) |
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