Historical roots of denial

Françoise Vergès, in her book L'économie de la mort, examines how racialized populations have historically been denied access to basic needs such as clean water, food, and safe living conditions. She traces this pattern back to the slave trade and through to modern times, showing how these deprivations have been used to humiliate and control non-white communities.

Conditions in a French school

At Paul-Éluard high school in Saint-Denis, students have protested against severe infrastructural issues, including falling walls, rat infestations, and power outages. These conditions have made it difficult for students to meet basic physiological needs like eating, drinking, or using the restroom, highlighting the lack of dignity in their learning environment.

Racist justifications over time

Vergès explains that Western states have long used racist rhetoric to justify the dehumanization of non-white populations. This includes restricting access to hygiene and privacy, a practice that has continued into the present, as seen in statements by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant regarding the siege of Gaza in 2023.

Racial division and cleanliness

The author notes that the association of non-white bodies with dirt and disease began with the slave trade, where enslaved people were confined in conditions similar to animals. This created a racial divide between "clean" and "dirty," with colonists claiming superiority through their control of cleanliness, a concept that has persisted over time.

Environmental racism and waste

Environmental racism continues this divide by allowing wealthy Western nations to dump their waste on poorer regions, often in the Global South. Vergès argues that this practice reinforces the idea of a "clean" world exploiting a "dirty" one, contributing to the ongoing suffering of marginalized communities.

Call for politicizing basic needs

Vergès argues that the fight for basic needs—whether in schools or refugee camps—must be recognized as a political struggle. Her book, L'économie de la mort - For a politics of basic needs, published by La Fabrique in October 2026, calls for a rethinking of how these needs are treated in society.