<P> Black nationalism was characterized by its political, social, and economic philosophies . The political philosophy is self - government . The local governments of the African - American communities should be managed by African Americans . African Americans should be "re-educated into the science of politics" in order to understand the importance and effect of the vote they cast . </P> <P> Don't be throwing out any ballots . A ballot is like a bullet . You don't throw your ballots until you see a target, and if that target is not within your reach, keep your ballot in your pocket . </P> <P> The economic philosophy of black nationalism promotes African - American control of the economy of the African - American community . In frequenting stores not owned by an African American, the money is given to another community . The dollar is taken from the African - American community and given to outsiders . In doing so, the African - American community loses money and becomes poorer while the community the dollar was given to gains money and becomes richer . Therefore, stores in the African - American community should be run by African Americans . </P> <P> Then you wonder why where you live is always a ghetto or a slum area . And where you and I are concerned, not only do we lose it when we spend it out of the community, but the white man has got all our stores in the community tied up; so that though we spend it in the community, at sundown the man who runs the store takes it over across town somewhere . </P>

Malcolm x the ballot or the bullet sparknotes