Oppression is a difficult word to define, often subjective to the group being oppressed. In “Five Faces of Oppression,” Iris Marion Young attempts at creating an objective definition through the explanation of five different concepts: exploitation, marginalization, powerlessness, cultural imperialism, and violence. The Marxist theory of exploitation explains how class structure exists despite any clearly states distinctions. According to Young, exploitation is “a steady process of the transfer of the results of the labor of one social group to benefit the other” (330). Furthermore, it extends from class distinctions to sexual and racial oppression as well. Marginalization refers to the process that limits the resources and rights of people that “the labor cannot or will not use” (331). Powerlessness, often stemming from exploitation and marginilazation, mainly deals with the status of professional and nonprofessionals, the latter of which often face this kind of oppression. Cultural imperialism has a lot to do with privilege and the establishment “dominant group’s experiences” as the norm of society (333). Lastly, violence refers to the systemic oppression many groups have to fear, which include but are not limited to random attacks, damaged property, harassment, and humiliation.
In her last section, Young states, “the presence of any of these five conditions is sufficient for calling a group oppressed”. Reading this in context of mental health, those dealing with mental health issues deal with most, if not all five of the conditions. However, they are most impacted by marginalization. Mental illnesses are often debilitating, leaving individuals dependent on family, friends, and the government. As Young describes, they are (indirectly) excluded from equal citizenship rights. They are subjected to ill-treatment by both policies and people, and to the authority of others, leaving them powerless.
The idea of privilege also plays into the mental health system. In “Privileged Places” Gregory D. Squires and Charis E. Kubrin highlight spatial and racial inequalities, which are associated with the access to all products and services of “the good life”. Reading into the history of how mental health has been dealt with over the past century, mentally ill individuals are highly deprived. Prior to the 1900s, most were isolated from the community and placed in asylums or poor housing. Today, they are often incarcerated. Wherever they end up, they are not given the services they need to heal. Furthermore, the idea of “location location location” can be applied here. The uneven development of communties Squires and Kubrin highlight reinforce not only the system of privilege, but also the system of oppression Young discusses.
Discussion Question: How do we combat these disparities? This system has been in place for hundreds of years, so where exactly do we start?
