Oppressing

Oppressing, or oppression, is the act or practice of exercising power in a way that burdens, restricts, or harms others, often unjustly. The term is used across political science, sociology, and human rights discourse to describe both actions by individuals and patterns within institutions that deny people basic rights, freedoms, or opportunities. The word derives from the Latin opprimere, meaning to press down.

Oppression can be individual or structural. Individual oppression occurs when one person uses force, coercion, or intimidation to control or devalue another. Structural or systemic oppression arises when social, legal, economic, or cultural systems create and maintain inequities that disadvantage certain groups over time. These forms often intersect, reinforcing disadvantage for groups defined by race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, class, or political opinion.

Mechanisms include coercive violence, surveillance, censorship, discriminatory laws or policies, economic exploitation, unequal access to education, housing, and healthcare, and the social stigmatization of certain identities. Power is exercised not only through formal authorities but also through everyday practices, norms, and language that normalize hierarchy and exclusion.

Historical examples include colonial domination, chattel slavery, caste systems, gender discrimination, and racial segregation. In contemporary contexts, oppression can appear as political repression, unequal wage and representation gaps, policing practices, and barriers to political participation or cultural expression.

Effects of oppressing are widespread, reducing safety, autonomy, and dignity for individuals and communities, while contributing to poverty, social tension, and conflict. Addressing oppressing involves human rights protections, anti-discrimination laws, policy reforms, and social movements aimed at redistributing power and resources and changing norms that sustain inequality.