Internalised oppression. Because of European colonisation, white skin has been equated to beauty and higher status in former colonies.
However, even before European colonisation, fairer skin has always been seen as a status symbol. Fairer skin means someone wealthy enough not to work outside being exposed to the sun.
It is not one or the other explanation by the way, these two coalesced. But in some countries that were never colonised by Europeans, the answer for obsession with lighter skin is number 2.
Edit: I should also mention, Europeans used to be obsessed with light skin for the precise reason as number 2. European nobility powdered themselves white. The obsession with getting tanned only came much more recently, because getting tanned implies one can afford holidays and thus a sign of status symbol, at least in Europe.
I think the obsession with hard work only came much more recently in history. I’d say we can blame the North European Protestant work ethic for that one.
Two reasons:
Internalised oppression. Because of European colonisation, white skin has been equated to beauty and higher status in former colonies.
However, even before European colonisation, fairer skin has always been seen as a status symbol. Fairer skin means someone wealthy enough not to work outside being exposed to the sun.
It is not one or the other explanation by the way, these two coalesced. But in some countries that were never colonised by Europeans, the answer for obsession with lighter skin is number 2.
Edit: I should also mention, Europeans used to be obsessed with light skin for the precise reason as number 2. European nobility powdered themselves white. The obsession with getting tanned only came much more recently, because getting tanned implies one can afford holidays and thus a sign of status symbol, at least in Europe.
I thought people valued hard work, why would they idolize a symbol of being lazy?
I think the obsession with hard work only came much more recently in history. I’d say we can blame the North European Protestant work ethic for that one.