This paper addresses the debate on racial democracy in respect of the arguments used by Whites to combat the proposal to introduce racial quotas in Brazil. It focuses on the ideological functions of this debate. We interviewed Whites (n=60) from Campinas, São Paulo. The paper shows the themes and arguments taken from our national discussion about race, the defense of miscegenation, criticism of racial division, amongst other topics, which are mobilized against the fight for compensating policies. This debate rejects an affirmative action policy and conceals our racism.
Racism; Race relations; Social psychology