
ESSAYS

Identity America: Race and Capital in the United States
"Identity 2024" challenges conventional narratives about American identity by examining the inextricable link between race and economic exploitation. Daniel Woods argues that the United States was founded not on principles of freedom, but on the economic necessity of slavery—with the Revolutionary War itself fought partially to preserve this institution. The essay traces how racial categories were invented as tools of economic control, from colonial slave codes to modern inequality. Woods contends that Black American culture, forged in resistance to systematic oppression, represents the only authentic American identity. This provocative analysis demands a reckoning with uncomfortable truths about our national character and the ongoing legacy of racial capitalism in contemporary America.
In "The Liberal Trap," Daniel Woods reveals why American politics feels broken. The term "liberal" has been weaponized to merge two contradictory belief systems: social liberalism (championing human equality and workers' rights) and economic liberalism (prioritizing corporate profits and deregulation). This impossible combination explains why politicians like Obama and Clinton sound progressive but govern conservatively. Woods traces this contradiction back to Enlightenment philosophers like John Locke, who argued against slavery while profiting from it. Modern "liberals" force the same hypocrisy on voters. Woods argues that recognizing this trap is the first step toward genuine political awakening and effective resistance to corporate domination.