Final answer:
Institutional racism refers to systemic racism embedded in society's structures and policies, perpetuating racial discrimination and inequality. It manifests in governmental policies, laws, and societal norms that continue to create disparities between racial groups, often independent of personal intent.
Step-by-step explanation:
System of Government Public Policies Based on Racism
A system of government public policies based on racism is typically referred to as institutional racism. This is a form of systemic racism where the structures, policies, and practices within a society or organization perpetuate and maintain discrimination based on race. The entities responsible, including governments, politicians, and various institutions (like companies and educational systems), significantly contribute to the maintenance of racial inequality.
Institutional racism occurs when the people who run or work for these powerful entities employ policies and practices that affect the lives of individuals, particularly those belonging to minority racial groups. Even without individual racist intent, actions and decisions taken within a historically shaped legal, political, and cultural context can have racist outcomes. The repercussions of past racist policies, such as segregation and discrimination in education, housing, and employment, continuously perpetuate disparities in opportunities and outcomes for marginalized communities.
Therefore, when a government's policies or laws inherently discriminate against certain racial groups, whether directly through legislation or indirectly through the enforcement and interpretation of those laws, those policies can be seen as racist. Examples of systemic racism can include standardized testing protocols that do not account for the unequal distribution of resources and opportunities based on race.