Supremacism

Supremacism is the belief that a particular race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, belief system or culture is superior to others and entitles those who identify with it to dominate, control or rule those who do not.

Sexual
Many anthropologists consider male supremacism, also known as “male dominance” or “patriarchy”, to exist in all cultures throughout human history. Under it special rights or status is granted to men, i.e. "male privilege." Such supremacy is enforced through a variety of cultural, political and interpersonal strategies. Others note that this often has been balanced by various forms of female authority. Since the 19th century there have been a number of feminist movements opposed to male supremacism and working for equal legal rights and protections for women in all cultural, political and interpersonal relations.

Racial
The Middle Ages Crusades have been described as an example of white supremacist colonialism. Centuries of European colonialism of the Americas, Africa and Asia was excused by white supremacist attitudes. During the 19th century the phrase "The White Man's Burden" was widely used to justify imperialist policy as a noble enterprise.

Following the American Civil War, southern white veterans of the Confederate States of America formed the secret society known as the Ku Klux Klan to restore white supremacy after the Reconstruction period. They preached supremacy over all other races, as well as over Jews, Catholics and other minorities.

Black supremacy arose in America as a counter to white supremacism. Groups advocating some version of it include Nation of Islam, the New Black Panther Party, the Black Hebrew Israelites and the Bobo Shanti section of the Rastafari movement.

During the early 20th century until the end of World War II - the Shōwa era - the propaganda of the Empire of Japan used the old concept of hakko ichiu to support the idea that the Yamato was a superior race, destined to rule Asia and the Pacific. Many documents such as Kokutai no Hongi, Shinmin no Michi and An Investigation of Global Policy with the Yamato Race as Nucleus referred to this concept of racial supremacy.

During the 1930s and 1940s Adolf Hitler's German Nazi Party preached the existence of an Aryan master race and attempted to establish through conquest such an empire throughout Europe. They were World War II "Axis powers" allies of the Japanese empire.

Religious
Some academics and writers describe Jewish supremacism, especially related to Israel and Zionism. Author Minna Rozen describes the 17th century Jews of Jerusalems’ view of themselves as an elite group among Jews as supremacism. Ilan Pappé writes that the First Aliyah to Israel "established a society based on Jewish supremacy." Joseph Massad holds that "Jewish supremacism" always has been a "dominating principle" of religious and secular Zionism. Gilad Atzmon labels the ideology he calls “Jewishness” as "very much a supremacist, racist tendency." The Anti-Defamation League condemns as "antisemitic" writings about “Jewish Supremacism” by authors David Duke and Kevin MacDonald.

Academics and writers have described Christian supremacism as a motivation for the Crusades to the “Holy Land,” as well as for crusades against Muslims and pagans throughout Europe. The Atlantic slave trade has been attributed in part to it as well. The Ku Klux Klan has been described as a Christian, as well as a white, supremacist group. So are many white supremacist groups in the United States today. President George W. Bush’s support for fundamentalist Christianity has been linked to his having a “Christian supremacist vision” in his policies in the Middle East. Leading executives of Blackwater Worldwide private military company have been described as “dedicated to a Christian-supremacist agenda.”

Some academics and writers have described evidence of Muslim or Islamic supremacism. The Qur'an and other Islamic documents do allow intolerant interpretations which have been exploited by supremacists. Specific examples include early 20th century “pan-Islamism" promoted by Abdul Hamid II, the jizya and rules of marriage in Muslim countries being imposed on non-Muslims the majority Muslim interpretations of the rules of pluralism in Malaysia, and "defensive" supremacism practised by some Muslim immigrants in Europe. Other writers posit a “poisonous, violent, Islamic supremacist creed” and that supremacism is inherent in Islam. Bruce Bawer alleges that Saudi Arabian princes have funded institutions to paint accusations of Islamic supremacism as “Islamophobic lies.”