De jure versus de facto segregation: which statement is accurate?

• A. Segregation is mandated by global treaties.
• B. De jure segregation is legally mandated; de facto results from social practices and circumstances, creating segregation without laws.
• C. Segregation is created by government policy alone.
• D. Segregation that results from social practices and circumstances rather than laws.

Answer: (B)

The main idea is the difference between law-driven segregation and segregation that happens in everyday life. De jure segregation is segregation that is legally mandated or enforced by government policy. De facto segregation happens in practice due to social patterns, housing markets, economic disparities, and private discrimination, so it can exist without any explicit laws. The accurate statement combines these two: de jure is legally mandated, while de facto results from social practices and circumstances, creating segregation without laws. Historical examples show this clearly—formal laws requiring separation existed in the past, while ongoing neighborhood and school segregation often persisted due to private choices and market forces even after those laws were gone. The other options misrepresent the issue by overemphasizing law, denying the role of social factors, or incorrectly invoking global treaties.