The Replacement Theory is an extension of colonialism predicated on the notion that white women “are not” having enough children and that falling birthrates among white people will eventually lead to them being replaced by black and brown people.
There is nothing more important for white supremacists than for their racist legacies to continue through their children, white children, being born. One of the stumbling blocks in their desire to increase the birth rate is “white feminism.” Feminism, intended to give white women the same rights, earnings etc. as white men, means that white women are out competing for the same “positions of employment” as men and working the same, if not longer hours than them. This gives little time, if any, for women to stay at home and have babies.
The replacement theory is also against mixed/interracial couples, as children born from that would be mixed and not white. This racist policy is not new, and its roots can be traced back to post the Bacon Rebellion of 1676, when, to control black and brown people and strengthen the white people, the Irish, who were indentured, were included in the white race.
It further seeks to “eliminate” policies such as Affirmative Action- which is not seen as redress but replacing black people with white people.
In replacement theory, the black man also poses a threat because of his perceived strength, the ability to “make babies,” at the drop of a hat, the interest some white women may express in having relationships and or babies with them and, of course, employment opportunities. This is why legal abortions were such “hot topics” in some States and why fundamentalist Christians “encourage” women to stay home, have babies and be housewives.
In an attempt to stem the “fear” of replacing white men, we have seen an increase in violence from right-wing quarters towards black and brown people and encouraging or incentivizing white women to stay home. The Replacement theorist’s global fear is that white people will become extinct. They wish to turn back time- to go to a time when they were in charge with no questions asked, and they could be as violent and cruel and “get away” with it. Unfortunately, very few white women are willing to forego their rights to remain “barefoot and pregnant” and to stay home and tend to the business of rearing children. Black and brown people, too, are unwilling to go back to slavery.
The resistance they have met with has only increased both their insecurity and their anger. The result is that because white men occupy higher echelons of society, they can wield the power they have to try to change “backroom” discussions into policies.
For this fundamentalist ideology to work, it requires the subjugation and re-education of white women and the physical, mental and economic slavery of black and brown people. Even though this is unlikely to happen, it will not deter them from trying- even if they have to “fight to the death,” for rights they have always had.
“In some cases, the response is that nonwhites should be killed. Often the response is white women need to be re-educated.” – Nellie Bowles, NY Times.
