What term describes the negative impact of systems and institutions on groups of people?

The term that accurately describes the negative impact of systems and institutions on groups of people is oppression. Oppression refers to the systemic and pervasive ways in which certain groups are disadvantaged and treated unjustly, often through social, economic, and political power dynamics. It involves the ongoing and institutionalized mistreatment of individuals based on their identity or group status, resulting in disadvantages that have deep historical roots.

In contrast, systemic inequality refers to the broader patterns of unequal treatment that can be seen across institutions and systems but does not necessarily encapsulate the active enforcement of these inequalities. Discrimination is the individual act of treating someone unfairly based on characteristics like race, gender, or sexual orientation, which can occur within the larger context of systemic structures but does not encompass the full breadth of institutional impact. Marginalization involves pushing certain groups to the edges of society, limiting their access to resources and opportunities, but again, this is a specific aspect of the broader phenomenon of oppression.

Therefore, oppression is the most fitting term as it embodies both the systematic nature of these negative impacts and the way they manifest through various societal structures.