In this clip, Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson explains the idea of class-based guilt — the notion, drawn from Marxist thinking, that people should feel guilty, or be treated as guilty, because of the class, race or group they belong to, rather than because of anything they have personally done. Peterson argues that this is a dangerous way to think about morality, because it replaces individual responsibility with collective blame, and turns politics into a search for scapegoats.
Peterson’s explanation goes to the heart of his critique of Marxism and of the identity politics that grew out of it. In his account, the old Marxist division of the world into oppressors and oppressed has been adapted to new categories — not only class, but race, gender and sexuality — while keeping the same structure: some groups are declared guilty by birth, others innocent by birth, and the guilty must atone by giving up power, wealth or voice. He argues that this logic cannot build a just society, because it judges people by their group rather than by their character and their actions.
The clip matters because class-based guilt is now a familiar feature of public debate, in classrooms, workplaces and politics, even when it is not recognised by that name. Peterson’s account offers a clear, accessible explanation of where the idea comes from and why he believes it is wrong. Whether viewers agree with him or not, it is a useful introduction to one of the most contested ideas in the argument over Marxism, socialism and the modern left.