The Ballot or the Bullet

Malcolm introduces black nationalism as the only viable solution to black America’s inability to gain economic and political control over its own communities, and he outlines both its political and economic philosophies. The former involves re-educating people to make them politically aware of both the importance of investing their resources in their own communities and of choosing political candidates who are specifically interested in the advancement of black communities. The latter involves controlling the jobs, businesses, and housing in black communities.

Malcolm contextualizes the necessity for black nationalism—the idea of rallying with other black people toward a common effort of uplift—by explaining how slums have been created. Businesses in black communities, he explains, are owned and operated by people who do not live in those communities. When they take the revenue earned in black communities back to their respective communities, black people see no reward beyond gaining a consumer product or service. Malcolm insists that black nationalism will instill black people with the knowledge and pride to know that they can build businesses equal to Woolworth’s and General Motors, both of which started out small, if they can commit to working toward the goal of economic prosperity.

Malcolm also uses black nationalism to bridge the differences between black Christians and black Muslims, as well as between integrationists and militant separatists. He asserts that the divisions result from white America’s attempts to sow discord between black people to impede their advancement. Black nationalism is, therefore, a unifying principle, intended both to enhance unity among a people with a common problem—that of persistent injustice—and to instill a sense of purpose in an atmosphere of hopelessness.