Which concept best describes the master-slave paradigm in oppression theory as external to the oppressed?

Which concept best describes the master-slave paradigm in oppression theory as external to the oppressed?

• A. Externalized oppressor
• B. Internalized oppressor
• C. Auto-oppressor
• D. Interaction of behavior and social structure

Answer: (A)

The main idea is externalization of oppression—the belief that domination comes from outside the oppressed group, embodied by an external oppressor or through social structures, not from something inherent inside the oppressed themselves. In the master-slave dynamic, the slave’s status and the master’s control are defined by those external relations and institutions, so the oppressor is conceived as an external agent. This framing highlights how power is maintained through society's arrangements and points toward changing policies, norms, and structures. It also supports empowerment by helping people see oppression as something that can be challenged and transformed, rather than something inherently wrong with them. Internalized oppressor would involve the oppressed internalizing messages of inferiority; auto-oppressor describes oppression enacted by the oppressed on their own group; and the interaction of behavior and social structure is a broader mechanism, not specifically the attribution of oppression to an external source.

The main idea is externalization of oppression—the belief that domination comes from outside the oppressed group, embodied by an external oppressor or through social structures, not from something inherent inside the oppressed themselves. In the master-slave dynamic, the slave’s status and the master’s control are defined by those external relations and institutions, so the oppressor is conceived as an external agent. This framing highlights how power is maintained through society's arrangements and points toward changing policies, norms, and structures. It also supports empowerment by helping people see oppression as something that can be challenged and transformed, rather than something inherently wrong with them. Internalized oppressor would involve the oppressed internalizing messages of inferiority; auto-oppressor describes oppression enacted by the oppressed on their own group; and the interaction of behavior and social structure is a broader mechanism, not specifically the attribution of oppression to an external source.