Cultural repression

Cultural hegemony
Ethnic hegemony

Nature

Cultural repression is the systematic suppression or restriction of a group’s cultural expressions, practices, language, or identity by dominant authorities or social forces. This problem often targets minority or marginalized communities, aiming to assimilate, control, or erase distinct cultural identities. Methods include banning languages, censoring art, prohibiting religious practices, and restricting traditional customs. Cultural repression undermines human rights, stifles diversity, and can lead to social conflict, loss of heritage, and psychological harm. It is widely condemned by international organizations as a violation of cultural and individual freedoms, posing significant obstacles to social cohesion and cultural preservation.

Background

Cultural repression emerged as a recognized global concern in the 20th century, particularly as decolonization, international human rights movements, and the spread of mass media exposed systematic efforts to suppress languages, traditions, and identities. Landmark cases, such as the suppression of indigenous cultures in the Americas and policies during totalitarian regimes, highlighted the widespread nature of the problem. International organizations increasingly documented and condemned such practices, deepening global awareness of their long-term societal impacts.

Incidence

Cultural repression remains a pervasive issue globally, affecting minority groups, indigenous populations, and dissidents in both authoritarian and democratic societies. Governments and dominant social groups often suppress languages, religious practices, artistic expression, and traditional customs, leading to the erosion of cultural identities. Such repression can be institutionalized through legal restrictions, censorship, or forced assimilation policies, impacting millions and contributing to social unrest, loss of heritage, and psychological harm.
In 2021, reports from Xinjiang, China, documented the systematic repression of Uyghur culture, including bans on traditional dress, language instruction, and religious practices. These measures have drawn international condemnation and highlight the ongoing scale of cultural repression.

Claim

Cultural hegemony is exerted in Malaysia through the state's virtual control of the education system, from pre-school to tertiary level. Malaysian school children have been socialized to become individuals who are disciplined, competitive, hard-working, obedient and respectful of authority. These values are clearly enunciated in the compulsory civics and religious classes and in the conduct of extra-curricular activities. Students are taught not to question authority but to appreciate its efforts. The status quo is maintained and stability rather than democracy is the end. This influence is reinforced by state-owned radio and television stations and the government ownership of all major newspapers. Even when students are not well socialized into this stream of thought, they are still circumscribed by its main features. This makes the task of introducing a wider notion of democracy, alternative ideas of development and especially the building of a popular movement based on challenges to the dominant culture, extremely difficult.

Counter-claim

Cultural repression is vastly overstated as a problem. Societies naturally evolve, and not every tradition or cultural practice deserves preservation. Sometimes, limiting certain cultural expressions is necessary for progress and social harmony. The focus on cultural repression distracts from more pressing global issues like poverty, health, and security. In reality, claims of cultural repression are often exaggerated and used as political tools rather than reflecting genuine threats to society.