The Economics and Politics of Race: An International Perspective PDF
Preview The Economics and Politics of Race: An International Perspective
ECONOMICS POLITICS RACE THOMAS SOWELL author of. Ethnic America he Economics and Politics of Race Beas by Pama Soll ota: MARXISM: Philosophy ond Economics CIVIL RIGHTS: Rhetoric of Reslicy? ETHNIC AMERICA, The Economics and Politics of Race AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE Thomas Sowell New York ih 882 Me Al gh eerie. No part ofthis hk maybe epoca 209 orm Sra wens cobons oe eehamey lai potscying etn ot fh a oan sal sce ED Miho eae msg on Mores and Cnpany. To 133) Avene athe renee, ew or NY L012 Sepioinn sete Paper aavestengurdenctsio new hy ang gg Pon na TO MARY FRANCES PREFACE ‘An international perspective un race and edhmicity means much ‘more than a compilation of minority experiences in diferent coun- cies tmeans an opporconty wo test competing beliefsand theories in a way chat cannot be done in any given countey For exaraple How much of any mvinoriey group's economic state lepers upon theie own culture and how much upon the way they are treated by the larger society around them? While there are ways of trying (0 puzale this out far a given couney,' current group characteristics ‘an themselves be depicted as products of “society in the past leaving us wich 9 chickeo-and-ege dilew ‘Aa intecaational perspective permits an examination of a given racial or ethnic group in a wide variety of sbrietes—Germans in ral, Ausealis, and the Uoived Suates, Chinese in Hong Keng, Indonesia, and the Cacihhean; Jeas in Spain, Jean, and eastern acope. Hf acter sche dominanc mfiuence, we would expectan see fewer scilarities between Bratilim Germs aad Austealian Ger mans than ifthe German cultural imprint cemains strong wherever Germans serle ia the soda Moreuver, international perspective makes possible a closer look atthe vague and ambiguous concept, “sociery.” Ist or the enviroment wheee penple are cuteently living? Or docs ic include their ancesteal lands. or perhaps ocher lands where chey may have secled for centuries in between—as i the ease of ethnically Chi tuete refugees from Vietoum aow living in the Cnited Staves, of the wandering Jew” in a variery of eoumeies aves the conuries? @ || paerace ‘Once environmental explanations of group behavior begin 10 take on this expansive concepr of "sociegy,” then che novion of a siven country's causal or moral responsibility for current conditions is correspandingly changed. If the econcsnec performance of the Chinese greatly exceeds that ofthe Malays in 8 umber of countries Gaclulioge Malaysia), then 19 what extene should a given socicey Consider icelfrexponsible for thove wtisticallifferences between thew (often described as “disparities” or "inequities"? Ifthe peo- ple of Japan economically utperform the people of Mexivo, 10 swhar extent are income diferences herweea the Japanese and the Mexicans in California 2 product of American society? ‘The rudy of ecraomics and politics together likewise provides ore insighey tn considering thew separately. The opetation of the markerplace often produces a very diferent reality fom che pesceptions conveyed rhrough the politcal process. The marker ‘may say chat a given group's skills are valuable bene cathe larger society while politics is eondemning hem as parasitic Bloodsuckers. Nos isi possible ro escape chese ennflicing conclusions by saying thar itis alla matter of how you choose Io Took at it. There are conceete empirical differences ia what folloss ifthe group is ex pelled—as has happened to varions groups many times in history Expelling a parasite produces vary diferear effects an the rest of society than expelling a vital parc af the economy. Ac many mes and places in hisery, nacions have acted poliically as if ehey were doing one of these things, only o discuver laer evonomically at they were doing the opposite Nowhecu is man's inhumanity 1o man more tangible or more beattbreaking than in racial or ethnic differences, Ieis tempting tn dlimiss ell a mete asrannealy. Yor oven insanity musc be studied logically, if iis w be understood and effective policies followed Even if we da nos lly undeestand the undesiyng sources of group fiicrions and hateeds, we may navercheless gain some insight inn what kinds of social arrangements reduce or increase diserimina- tion, violence and other aver: expressions of holt. ‘We need to examine aot anly the facts bur also the conceptual framework within which we look ar facs. We need w reconnder ro what exten reeme like “acism,” “exploitation,” or the ""Thied World” are both clear and useful ‘This book has benefited from a variety of influences. The re sources and freedora provided by the Houver Institution has per- pReraceE 9 mitted mem take up this ropic and explore it at leisure, even thavgl Feame here with the intention of writing on an entirely different subject (Marsan economics). My colleague Alvin Ka bushika bas been preeminent among those who have generously siven of their kegwleeye, advice, and other help. Tt should be Uuwecessary 0 add that they share'no responsibilty for my errors, shoetcamings, or conelosions ‘The Hoover lonitution ‘August 19, 1982
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