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Difficulty: MediumBooker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois Debate

Read the following excerpt from a speech by Booker T. Washington to the National Negro Business League in 1900:

'The man who has a mortgage on his home, or who has no bank account, cannot be as independent or as useful a citizen as the one who is a property owner and a taxpayer... Economic efficiency is the foundation upon which all other progress must be built.'

Based on this excerpt and your knowledge of early civil rights debates, which of the following best contrasts Washington's strategy for Black advancement with that of W. E. B. Du Bois?

  1. A
    Washington advocated for immediate social integration and federal intervention, while Du Bois argued that Black Americans should focus on temporary emigration to Liberia.
  2. B
    Washington believed that Black Americans should only receive training in manual labor and opposed higher education, while Du Bois rejected vocational training in favor of classical education.
  3. Washington prioritized economic self-reliance and property ownership as the immediate steps to earn social respect, whereas Du Bois insisted that political rights and legal protections were necessary to secure and defend those economic gains.Answer
  4. D
    Washington argued that political disenfranchisement was acceptable and permanent, while Du Bois rejected economic self-reliance, believing instead in pure political protest.

Answer

Washington prioritized economic self-reliance and property ownership as the immediate steps to earn social respect, whereas Du Bois insisted that political rights and legal protections were necessary to secure and defend those economic gains.
The correct answer accurately contrasts their strategic sequencing: Washington believed economic progress and property ownership must precede political agitation, while Du Bois argued that political rights, civil liberties, and the franchise were critical safeguards required to secure and defend any economic progress.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the provided excerpt from Booker T. Washington.
The text shows Washington's emphasis on building businesses, property ownership, and economic efficiency as the foundation for independence and citizenship.
This establishes Washington's priority of economic self-reliance as the first step for Black advancement.
2
Contrast Washington's strategy with W.E.B. Du Bois's core philosophy.
Du Bois believed that economic gains cannot be secured or defended without political power (the ballot) and civil rights.
This identifies the main point of debate regarding the sequence of economic versus political rights.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the one that accurately describes this strategic difference without oversimplification.
The option prioritizing economic self-reliance over immediate political rights for Washington, and civil rights first for Du Bois, is the correct choice.
This matches the historical record and avoids the common misconception of a simple zero-sum rivalry.

Key Concept

The debate between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois on strategies for Black social, political, and economic advancement.
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Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois Debate

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