Race & Economics: How Much Can Be Blamed on Discrimination? (Hoover Institution Press Publication)

With this summer's focus on black America, we need alternative voices like Sen. Tim Scott, Justice Clarence Thomas, and Candace Owens. One of the wisest is Walter Williams, who has been an economist for about half a century and seen a lot. His books and articles are good, but it's easy to start with the video Suffer No Fools, where he pardons the white man and says "now don't be a damn fool in dealing with us". Williams addresses the common assumption that gaining political power is the way to economic and personal prosperity. If this were the case, the era since the civil rights and the great society should be the most prosperous for the black community. This was the conversation when Trump was asked by Jonathan Swan about Pres. Lyndon Johnson's legacy. Williams discusses the basics of economics. By the way, in the video he says he doesn't indoctrinate his classes. He shows them what the basic consensus of the field is, and they can move on to other thinkers. Anyway, he gives practical examples like filet mignon and cheap steak. Why do both of them continue to sell? There's a lot of history beginning with the little-known history of the quasi-free black man during the time of chattel slavery. Then under the Jim Crow era, blacks made tremendous progress offering their labor at a lower price. Here's an example most can understand. College kids pay a lot to gain marketable skills. The lower-skilled workers also should be able to gain life experience and work experience to move up. In other words, you should be learning lessons on the job. Minimum wage and unions, which are supposed to help the less fortunate, get in the way of being able to get a start. There's a fascinating discussion of the taxi industry and how it's regulated by medallions etc. In the old days, the Irish or whoever could just write "Taxi" on the carriage and become an entrepreneur. There's also a discussion of famous black leaders like Frederick Douglass and WEB Dubois, and labor leaders like Samuel Gompers and Eugene Debs. This was very interesting to me. This is because Debs is the inspiration for the socialism of Bernie Sanders. The history of Debs helps to explain why Bernie didn't win. Basically, the history of American socialism with Debs wasn't good for the black community, so if Bernie is the "reincarnation" that doesn't bode well. But as Dinesh d'Souza has shown, the old socialism isn't the problem now, it's identity and critical theory, which can get in the way of legitimate development. The end has a discussion of all the terms that are thrown around, prejudice, discrimination, racism, preference, segregation. Williams explains how if you choose to go to the University of Chicago, you're discriminating against Harvard. Every choice involves a discrimination. This is an emotionally charged time and some life experience is needed. Williams is an 84 year old black man, he wasn't even with MLK he was with Malcolm X as a young radical, so he's seen a few things about what has worked in the lives of people.

"Race and Economics," by Walter E. Williams is not what I had anticipated reading. Yet, I found the book insightful and filled with reflective knowledge and information. Therefore, I rated the book with four-stars. I would have given 5-stars, but again I was expecting to read something quite different. I had hoped to read a book that delved into systemic racist practices that showed black peoples specific abilities and talents being diminished in capacity. This was not that kind of book. "Race and Economics," highlights laws, rules, regulations that were enforced to keep black labor from the marketplace. Again, this is a good, quick read. I was able to finish this book within two days. This book is written in layman's terms so the average person who is not familiar with economics can comprehend what is being stated. I would recommend "Race and Economics," by Walter E. Williams to others. If you are interested in what kind of legislative bodies held back black people from fulfilling their American Dream this is a good book to read.

Excellent book on the thorny problems of race and how racism is influenced by economics. This book forces a new look at the common wisdom about racial problems and suggests some solutions. Walter Williams is an African-American and recognizes the existence of racism in America, but he does not shy away from some of the problems of the Black leadership and how they are perpetuating some of the very problems they deplore. Clearly not everyone will agree with his hypotheses, but it is difficult to ignore the facts stated in his book. This book deserves an objective discussion by both left and right and a complete reevaluation of the way we treat race and its problems.

I highly enjoyed this book, as it has caused me to explore race and how we “get ahead” or stay stuck. The author seemed to have done a good deal of historical research, and explained common ideas about race and prejudice and how the barriers faced today are more than just prejudice (though to be clear I believe strongly these exist). My background is in clinical social work and I currently practice psychotherapy. Though I don’t work with African Americans very often, I have observed that at times the economic structures in our nation can make it difficult for the disadvantaged to get ahead. The author makes some good points however I don’t agree with everything that is argued in this book, such as relying on free markets to fix everything or that unions and licensing laws are all to blame, however I liked that this book challenged me and caused me to think beyond the standard narrative.

As much as I believed the contrary about the plight of African Americans (specifically) in terms of restricted opportunities, this book (along with worthy citations that you really should look up in controversial books like this to verify accuracy) revealed some sobering truths. Dr. Williams demonstrated how government intervention programs such as minimum wages and Affirmative Action (though it is more about lawful review of ALL applicants through merit rather than empty quotas) programs actually do more harm than good for the most part in terms of economic growth is various ethnicities and cultures. Dr. Williams showed that even during antebellum slavery, some Blacks owed hotels and other lucrative businesses and many were doing well until government intervention with the labor market. Williams discussed fascinating, yet economically-harmful actions taken by the federal as well as state and municipal governments regarding taxi cabs and even hair-braiding. Wait until you read these and other maladies the Occupational and Business Licensing chapter; it should both make you a bit angry as well as enlighten you. It is as though the economy is being stifled and the idea of free markets, along with its competitive nature is being sabotaged. I'm starting to see and understand the promise of laissez faire capitalism now. The very idea of housing costs can be directly linked to discrimination in trades or the act of barring certain people from certain trades to tip the balance of wages in favor of the few by making it appear there are few people in a certain trade, so customers would have to pay more for their expertise. Folks, there is a darker reason why we have to pay to take exams that transcend mere accountability and costs to produce, distribute, and score the exams. There is a reason why prices for groceries are higher in low-income / high(er) crime areas and race has very little to do with it. Overall, it's a short read, but I recommend this book to anyone who actually wants to understand how harmful some unions, minimum-wage, licensing, and other traditions are causing more harm than good by restricting opportunities that extend well beyond race, yet due to conventional wisdom (which is usually wrong or incomplete at best), we keep blaming race as the reason for our so-called oppression. I learned so much from this book!

Walter Williams tells it like it is and has been. He cuts through the false rhetoric of race that has sadly taken the place of honest discussion in our public discourse. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand how to improve our country for everyone.

Citation of data rather than opinions, impacts rather than intentions. Anything that artificially raises wages favors those already in the profession over those out of it. Prevailing wage laws, min wage, unions, credentialing & licensing all favor "ins" over "outs".

Walter Williams is a fantastic writer. Coming out of the Libertarian economics tradition, he does a beautiful job of showing how minimum wage laws, state mandated licensing, state protected monopoly status for unions, and a variety of other mechanisms create barriers to entry for up and coming workers (from all races, classes, etc). Though his focus is on race, what he's written is applicable more broadly. A wonderful book.

Some interesting stuff about how minimum wages and unions may have been either unintentionally or actually intentionally descriminatory, but it doesn't discuss much beyond the 1960's, and the world has changed a lot since then.

I bought Race & Economics because I enjoyed The State Against Blacks by the same author. Both books opened my eyes about a subject about which I knew very little. And what little I thought I knew turns out to be wrong. Walter Williams, a University Professor, knows how to research and provides many statistics to help support his conclusions. I enthusiastically recommend this book for readers both black and white. (I'm white.)

With this summer's focus on black America, we need alternative voices like Sen. Tim Scott, Justice Clarence Thomas, and Candace Owens. One of the wisest is Walter Williams, who has been an economist for about half a century and seen a lot. His books and articles are good, but it's easy to start with the video Suffer No Fools, where he pardons the white man and says "now don't be a damn fool in dealing with us". Williams addresses the common assumption that gaining political power is the way to economic and personal prosperity. If this were the case, the era since the civil rights and the great society should be the most prosperous for the black community. This was the conversation when Trump was asked by Jonathan Swan about Pres. Lyndon Johnson's legacy. Williams discusses the basics of economics. By the way, in the video he says he doesn't indoctrinate his classes. He shows them what the basic consensus of the field is, and they can move on to other thinkers. Anyway, he gives practical examples like filet mignon and cheap steak. Why do both of them continue to sell? There's a lot of history beginning with the little-known history of the quasi-free black man during the time of chattel slavery. Then under the Jim Crow era, blacks made tremendous progress offering their labor at a lower price. Here's an example most can understand. College kids pay a lot to gain marketable skills. The lower-skilled workers also should be able to gain life experience and work experience to move up. In other words, you should be learning lessons on the job. Minimum wage and unions, which are supposed to help the less fortunate, get in the way of being able to get a start. There's a fascinating discussion of the taxi industry and how it's regulated by medallions etc. In the old days, the Irish or whoever could just write "Taxi" on the carriage and become an entrepreneur. There's also a discussion of famous black leaders like Frederick Douglass and WEB Dubois, and labor leaders like Samuel Gompers and Eugene Debs. This was very interesting to me. This is because Debs is the inspiration for the socialism of Bernie Sanders. The history of Debs helps to explain why Bernie didn't win. Basically, the history of American socialism with Debs wasn't good for the black community, so if Bernie is the "reincarnation" that doesn't bode well. But as Dinesh d'Souza has shown, the old socialism isn't the problem now, it's identity and critical theory, which can get in the way of legitimate development. The end has a discussion of all the terms that are thrown around, prejudice, discrimination, racism, preference, segregation. Williams explains how if you choose to go to the University of Chicago, you're discriminating against Harvard. Every choice involves a discrimination. This is an emotionally charged time and some life experience is needed. Williams is an 84 year old black man, he wasn't even with MLK he was with Malcolm X as a young radical, so he's seen a few things about what has worked in the lives of people.

"Race and Economics," by Walter E. Williams is not what I had anticipated reading. Yet, I found the book insightful and filled with reflective knowledge and information. Therefore, I rated the book with four-stars. I would have given 5-stars, but again I was expecting to read something quite different. I had hoped to read a book that delved into systemic racist practices that showed black peoples specific abilities and talents being diminished in capacity. This was not that kind of book. "Race and Economics," highlights laws, rules, regulations that were enforced to keep black labor from the marketplace. Again, this is a good, quick read. I was able to finish this book within two days. This book is written in layman's terms so the average person who is not familiar with economics can comprehend what is being stated. I would recommend "Race and Economics," by Walter E. Williams to others. If you are interested in what kind of legislative bodies held back black people from fulfilling their American Dream this is a good book to read.

Excellent book on the thorny problems of race and how racism is influenced by economics. This book forces a new look at the common wisdom about racial problems and suggests some solutions. Walter Williams is an African-American and recognizes the existence of racism in America, but he does not shy away from some of the problems of the Black leadership and how they are perpetuating some of the very problems they deplore. Clearly not everyone will agree with his hypotheses, but it is difficult to ignore the facts stated in his book. This book deserves an objective discussion by both left and right and a complete reevaluation of the way we treat race and its problems.

I highly enjoyed this book, as it has caused me to explore race and how we “get ahead” or stay stuck. The author seemed to have done a good deal of historical research, and explained common ideas about race and prejudice and how the barriers faced today are more than just prejudice (though to be clear I believe strongly these exist). My background is in clinical social work and I currently practice psychotherapy. Though I don’t work with African Americans very often, I have observed that at times the economic structures in our nation can make it difficult for the disadvantaged to get ahead. The author makes some good points however I don’t agree with everything that is argued in this book, such as relying on free markets to fix everything or that unions and licensing laws are all to blame, however I liked that this book challenged me and caused me to think beyond the standard narrative.

As much as I believed the contrary about the plight of African Americans (specifically) in terms of restricted opportunities, this book (along with worthy citations that you really should look up in controversial books like this to verify accuracy) revealed some sobering truths. Dr. Williams demonstrated how government intervention programs such as minimum wages and Affirmative Action (though it is more about lawful review of ALL applicants through merit rather than empty quotas) programs actually do more harm than good for the most part in terms of economic growth is various ethnicities and cultures. Dr. Williams showed that even during antebellum slavery, some Blacks owed hotels and other lucrative businesses and many were doing well until government intervention with the labor market. Williams discussed fascinating, yet economically-harmful actions taken by the federal as well as state and municipal governments regarding taxi cabs and even hair-braiding. Wait until you read these and other maladies the Occupational and Business Licensing chapter; it should both make you a bit angry as well as enlighten you. It is as though the economy is being stifled and the idea of free markets, along with its competitive nature is being sabotaged. I'm starting to see and understand the promise of laissez faire capitalism now. The very idea of housing costs can be directly linked to discrimination in trades or the act of barring certain people from certain trades to tip the balance of wages in favor of the few by making it appear there are few people in a certain trade, so customers would have to pay more for their expertise. Folks, there is a darker reason why we have to pay to take exams that transcend mere accountability and costs to produce, distribute, and score the exams. There is a reason why prices for groceries are higher in low-income / high(er) crime areas and race has very little to do with it. Overall, it's a short read, but I recommend this book to anyone who actually wants to understand how harmful some unions, minimum-wage, licensing, and other traditions are causing more harm than good by restricting opportunities that extend well beyond race, yet due to conventional wisdom (which is usually wrong or incomplete at best), we keep blaming race as the reason for our so-called oppression. I learned so much from this book!

Walter Williams tells it like it is and has been. He cuts through the false rhetoric of race that has sadly taken the place of honest discussion in our public discourse. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand how to improve our country for everyone.

Citation of data rather than opinions, impacts rather than intentions. Anything that artificially raises wages favors those already in the profession over those out of it. Prevailing wage laws, min wage, unions, credentialing & licensing all favor "ins" over "outs".

Walter Williams is a fantastic writer. Coming out of the Libertarian economics tradition, he does a beautiful job of showing how minimum wage laws, state mandated licensing, state protected monopoly status for unions, and a variety of other mechanisms create barriers to entry for up and coming workers (from all races, classes, etc). Though his focus is on race, what he's written is applicable more broadly. A wonderful book.

Some interesting stuff about how minimum wages and unions may have been either unintentionally or actually intentionally descriminatory, but it doesn't discuss much beyond the 1960's, and the world has changed a lot since then.

I bought Race & Economics because I enjoyed The State Against Blacks by the same author. Both books opened my eyes about a subject about which I knew very little. And what little I thought I knew turns out to be wrong. Walter Williams, a University Professor, knows how to research and provides many statistics to help support his conclusions. I enthusiastically recommend this book for readers both black and white. (I'm white.)

Walter Williams was a wise and wonderful man. His death is an awful loss. This book is a good example of conservative thought. The book is excellent.

Great analysis and conclusions. The book does bog down in the middle with an over-abundance of examples. Williams makes his points thoughtfully and backed with ample notes and research. Seventeen percent of the Kindle version was endnotes if that gives you any idea.

I'm a fan of Williams work but I thought he would include more data and historical perspectives. It's a good read nonetheless and should be required reading in college freshman level courses.

Great book on black economic plight.

Walter E Williams was a national treasure. I've watched many interviews and specials with him and I wish I could have met him. This book cuts through all of the nonsense of today's politics and presents his views on race and economic opportunities clearly.

I picked this book up after hearing Williams speak on TV and was happy to learn an awful lot. The book is an easy read and he provides some very clear explanations of the end result of government policy, which, as he says, does not always achieve its "intended" goal. Some items that are explained in the book: - Minimum wage law actually hurts the least skilled and poorest workers, especially teenagers picking up a part time job. While you can legislate a wage, you cannot legislate productivity nor that a person gets hired, which results in more unemployment. - Licensing, while on the surface is designed to protect the consumer, it is commonly used to protect the incumbents' high wages from outside competition. - He makes a case that while slavery and discrimination were clearly abominations, they do not explain the current economic state of the poor black communities. He shows how government policy that was intended to help them has actually made things worse in the last 75 years. The concrete examples in the book simplify the concepts so that anyone can understand, even one without a background in economics. He shows, most importantly, that economic forces, if left to carry on without government intervention, are ultimately color-blind, as the most successful business people do not care whose wallet the dollars are coming from.

Gives such a clear picture of how economic policy has created most of the racial divide.

This book is a thoughtful, well-researched look at how the government's attempts to solve perceived 'racial discrimination' problems have created the opposite of intended results. The author exposes not only the fallacy of much of this thinking, but also how the government solutions have worsened the plight of minorities. To anyone interested in actually helping their fellow American, this is a very valuable work.

more americans should read this and stay off social media.

Walter Williams make the cases and presents the evidence against the race baitors

People who listen to the race mongers looking for fame and fortune by trying to dump a guilt trip onto people should instead read this book. Really insightful.

William's use of analogies make the complexity of economics understandable by we, mere mortals. In my book, he is the God of understanding

Enjoying book. Good service.

The late Williams serves up a massive collection of evidence to dispell the modern view of discrimination. Well worth reading!

I never heard of Dr. Williams till he hosted Rush's show years ago. Now I read every column of his as they come out. Brilliant, great writer and most important practical. Dr. Williams is one of my brilliant mentors, I've never met him but I have learned so much from him.

I was thinking it, and he said it, well written it...great book!

Thank You

Excellent Read, very insightful a detail Breakdown.

A great treatise by one of my favorite authors and economists. Insightful, great analogies, clearly stated arguments. Much better than the bs that we get in the press and in government analysis.

I wish he were running for president. I don't miss any of his writings. He is so level headed & down to earth. Makes many valid points On race & economics.

This is a book by someone talking some sense.

Great perspective on causes of social issues that are all firmly rooted in economic causes, poor legislation, and good intentions.

Mr. Williams does a great job at indicating how the ills that have befallen the black community as a result of so-called compassionate legislation. I was especially taken by the portions of the book that chronicled many of the reasons behind the aforementioned legislation (Davis-Bacon, minimum wage/equal pay for equal work). Though I felt many of these policies were detrimental before, I didn't know the facts that Mr. Williams presented. Finally, he also presents concrete proof, again through historical facts, that competition among individuals who work, much like competition among companies that sell, will always produce the best result.

For generations, public policy has been deliberately geared toward lifting minority Americans out of poverty and ignorance. Although written with the best of intenions, the results have been abysmal. Walter Williams shows why, and explains how it could not be otherwise. Great book.

Bought some time back, more pertinent now than EVER; assuage some of your unhelpful white guilt and learn what I have in life and more in this well documented, very informative book by a really great, common sense economist, a man who refused to buy into victimhood.

Easy read, practical,good economics explained so a novice can follow.teaches you how to analyze topics in a more objective way.

A home-run by Williams. This is another book I wish I could afford to buy for every member of Congress. It explains, clearly enough for a statist to understand, how government policiy has disadvantaged black people in the last 60 years. We are going to pay a terrible price for these bone-headed policies. Get a copy for your legislators as well. Robert A. Hall Author: The Coming Collapse of the American Republic (All royalties go to a charity to help wounded veterans)

Great book, Walter Williams is amazing, he should be an idol in classrooms around the world. The world would be a much better place if the read and understood his ideas.

Another great book by Dr. Williams. Hard hitting facts and logical solutions. A fast read!

This is a great book. Williams takes on many issues and makes his case well. Fundamental economics can be very counter-intuitive so books like this are useful as explanations and evidence. Highly recommended....everyone should read this.

Love this book.

Just another great, insightful book by Walter E. Williams.

Walter Williams does it again! Great perspective, very insightful. This book is not for the closed-minded.

It came brand new. Great book, excellent author. Dealing with America's current state is tricky as a voter so perhaps this can serve some guidance.

If only more Americans and American politicians would listen to Walter Williams! He provides compelling evidence that liberal policies starting with the New Deal have failed to liberate minorities and have in fact kept them down. Policies like the minimum wage and professional licensing make it much more difficult for poorly educated, low-skilled minorities to enter the workforce and improve their own lives. The book is recommended for big-government progressives and micro-government libertarians alike. The writing is at times dry and repetitive, with entire paragraphs lifted from one chapter into the next, but the message is extremely important. Please read.

While his theme is repeated by others, few have more credibility and perspective than Mr. Williams.

Only an African-American scholar (in todays PC world) can be so forthright...and correct. Must reading for people who really want to understand economics and people.

I am a college student who was forced to read Piven & Cloward's work last semester. I remember questioning their theories and wondering why they continued to use blame and resentment as a form to support their assertion that more gov't central planning benefits blacks and minorities. This book proves that all gov't intervention has proven to infact harm blacks and minorities, instead of helping them climb out of poverty. I think this is a great book that would help Blacks to understand that the so called glorious New Deal programs ended up resulting in more unemployment for their race. Don't just listen to the liberal crap universities want to push down your throat. READ, READ AND READ, and then come to your own conclusions.

Excellent book. Gives a balanced perspective on the policy and economic drivers of the race issues in the US.

This was an excellent transaction and I fully expect to do more business with this seller sometime in the future!

This is a brilliant, brilliant book, filled with sharp, original, compelling ideas on every page. Soundly argued and authoritatively supported. Deep scholarship matched with downright common sense. It would be impossible, I should think, for anyone to read this book and not learn something new. One of the best books I have read in years (and I read a lot).

This is easily the best book I have read all year. Not just best non-fiction. Best book period. I've known of Walter Williams for a long time and have been wanting to read one of his books for a while. I'm glad I finally took the plunge. The sheer amount of logic, evidence and documentation make Williams' arguments irrefutable. It's very admirable how he dispassionately is able to analyze and comment on issues affecting blacks without resorting to the common non-sequiturs and the racism blame game to explain modern issues affecting blacks. Rather than blame greedy white capitalists for the plight of blacks he looks at policies historically pursued by overt racists to prevent blacks from competing - that are still in place today! Though today the stated, and generally actual, intentions of those policies are different today, their effect is the same. I highly recommend this book.

Great to work with

Thats what you get from Dr. Williams! He is a brilliant, insightful and interesting man. This is one of his best books.

I discovered Walter E Williams through other authors and like his evidenced based approach to topics of this type. He has encouraged me to look at long held beliefs differently and has positively influenced my thinking. I only wish I had discovered him years ago.

Prof Williams provides a realistic view of race and economics.

I recommend this book for everyone. This book explains how more government can hurt the people it claims it's trying to help. This book also explains how unions and businesses use the government to enact legislation that helps certain groups maintain and consolidate power.

Brilliant mind

An important and timely book to read.

Dr. Williams book is outstanding! As usual ,well researched, based on FACTs, and clearly written.

Excellent explanation of what really is going in racially

Well written book!. Gave a lot of detailed information and stats. Only downfall is i didn't feel there was a good enough explanation how to fix the problems he laid out.

Great

This book was excellent. Dr Williams is the best. I cannot wait until his next book. Thank you Dr WIlliams.

Well researched and packed full of relevant, lessor publicized facts.

Good purchase

Mr. Williams is perhaps the most insightful columnist of our time. His views are well reasoned and well presented. I thoroughly enjoyed this work.

This book was incredibly informative and addressed issues that I have heard over and over. The problems in our society and identified along with reasons. If you are tired of hearing about people blaming problems on racism then this book is a great read. This clears up the misconception that racism is the primary cause for problems within minorities.

This lays out a great argument for every American that believes in the American Dream. We all need to be accountable for our actions and not to blame others for our circumstances...

What a great piece of economic information. Not a real easy read do to all the economic facts Mr. Williams throws at you, but what a informative book. I wish he was our President.

A must-read for anyone who thinks free markets don't work. This should be required reading for anyone planning to hold a public office.

I'm a big Walt Williams and Thomas Sowell fan so no surprise that I find this book great reading as well. Walt Williams supplies tons of empirical data that debunks some of the popular myths behind the causal effects of race on poverty. A great book!

This book is very well researched and footnoted. The prose is crisp and direct. This book is easy to read and flow quickly from chapter to chapter. I recommend this book.

This book is everything I expected it to be. I follow Thomas Sowell's columns and he recommended it, and it is well worth it.

As with everything I have ever read by Dr. Williams, it was great. He is a brilliant man and the book proves it. Very thought provoking.

Great book with so much information.

Walter Williams is a highly intelligent economist who has written an excellent book showing how bad laws adversely affects Blacks. He shows that the low economic status of Blacks is not the result of racial discrimination. It is the result of labor laws, licentious laws, etc.

Walt Williams tells hard truths about race and money in America that are hard to hear but even harder to avoid. Race is an issue, but not a reason or excuse not to succeed. After reading any of Williams books, you see enduring themes throughout his work that declare self-determination to be well within the grasp of any individual or group willing to work together and work hard.

This book should be read by all old and young. It should be used as an instructional manual in High Schools. But I'll bet it will never be permitted by school boards. Love Walter Williams work and throughly enjoy reading his books. It is very easy to read and an extremely interesting account of US History, US policies/Laws and how they relate to economics. If you care to know the truth of what makes this country tick this is a great starting point.

Walter dispels a lot of the myths about prejudice and discrimination y using economic studies that are plain and evident.

It was an eye opener all of the left claims are wrong.

This book clearly shows that the government, read democrat, aid for minorities, read black, have harmed rather than helped black economic advancement. Contrary to other fantasies, economic reality would help all minorities advance. Easy reading.

Nothing new. Williams is better than this book shows.

gift purchase

Walter Edward Williams (born 1936) is Professor of Economics at George Mason University, as well as a syndicated columnist and author. He wrote in the Preface to this 2011 book, “My purpose in writing this book is to apply simple economic analysis to some of the problems that black Americans have faced in the past and still face today. There is no question that they suffered gross violations of basic human rights in the form of chattel slavery, discrimination under Jim Crow laws… and personal violence… But an acknowledgement of and consensus on those injustices, and on residual discrimination, do not carry us very far in evaluating what is or is not in the best interest of blacks today. “One of the things that economics brings to the analysis is explicit recognition that people will not engage in activities---including racial discrimination---no matter what the cost. Although racial discrimination imposes costs on those discriminated against, the person or entity doing the discrimination also bears costs. Recognizing that, along with the generalization that people instinctively seek to REDUCE costs, suggests that one of the contributions economics can make is to analyze methods a discriminator uses to reduce them. I shall argue that free-market resource allocation, as opposed to allocation on political grounds, is in the interests of minorities and/or less-preferred individuals. This assertion is not simply a matter of ideological preference; there is evidence for it.” In the first chapter, he outlines, “The thrust of the argument in the chapters that follow is that the most difficult problems black Americans face, particularly those who are poor, cannot adequately be explained by current racial discrimination. Instead, most problems are self-inflicted or, as will be the major focus of this book, a result of policies. Regulations, and restrictions emanating from federal, state, and local governments. I will argue that free markets and the profit motive have not reduced opportunities. The drivers have instead been the power of vested interest groups to us, as a means to greater wealth, the coercive powers of government to stifle market competition.” (Pg. 9) He observes, “Employer substitution of higher-skilled for lower-skilled workers is not the only effect of the minimum wage law. It also gives employers an economic incentive to make other changes: substitute machines for labor; change production techniques, relocate overseas; and eliminate certain jobs altogether. The substitution of automatic dishwashers for hand washing, and automatic tomato-picking machines for manual pickers, are examples of the substitution of machines for labor in response to higher wages. The switch from sales ladies behind every counter in five-and-dime stores to checkout lines, from waiter-served to self-service and fast-food restaurants, from full-service to self-service gasoline stations are among the responses to higher labor costs. So, too, are the absence of movie theater ushers and the wide use by restaurants of plastic and paperware utensils and plates, because they do not require dishwashing.” (Pg. 46) He argues, “What the do-gooders don’t see are the people---the illegal aliens, the old women, the teenagers---who no longer have a job. The illegal may be back in Mexico, living under worse conditions. The old woman may be no longer earning any wage, and the kid may be on a street corner committing a crime. These are the invisible victims of the advocates’ actions. Neither the victims nor their advocates make a connection between their worsened condition and increases in the minimum wage. Victims do not know why they cannot find a job, and are likely to chalk it up to ‘bad times’ or racial discrimination rather than higher minimum wages. Before the do-gooders ‘helped,’ they forgot to ask, why would anyone work ten hours a day for the paltry sum of $2 or $3 an hour? Would they have selected such a job if they had superior alternatives? The only conclusion is that that low-paying sweatshop job might be their best alternative. Such a person is indeed unfortunate, but they are by no means made better off by the destruction of that low-paying job.” (Pg. 58) He observes, “It does not take much to conclude that the decline in black employment in the crafts, including electricians and plumbers, stemmed from a tradition of racial exclusion policies by labor unions… While white unions would deny blacks membership, they were not as effective in denying them employment… black would-be workers found that they could appeal to employers’ desire for higher profits through offering to work at lower prices.” (Pg. 87, 91) He suggests, “There is no question about racist exclusionary policy and practices of the past. But what can be said about today? There is little evidence of continued flagrant racial exclusion. However, in some craft unions, blacks are virtually absent. That can be explained in several interrelated ways. One is that black workers may not seek to be joining the union because, seeing the relatively few black members, they view their chances of admission as slim. Second, entry requirements may have been raised to discourage black membership. That, related to a third possible reason, is the entire package of entry conditions, which includes long apprenticeship periods and restrictions on the number of apprentices, seniority rules, and artificially high wages, and licensure… all these union-supported practices tend to discriminate against lower-skilled tradesmen.” (Pg. 93) He points out, “Casual observation of ice hockey games would suggest that blacks attend them far below their percentages in the general population. A similar observation can be made about opera, dressage performances, and wine tastings. The population statistics of states such as South Dakota, Iowa, Maine, Montana, and Vermont show that not even 1 percent of their population is black. On the other hand, in states such as Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, blacks are overrepresented n terms of their percentage in the general population. Would anyone suggest that racial segregation accounts for any of those observations? Just because blacks are not proportionately represented in some activity… how analytically useful is to assert that the activity is racially segregated?” (Pg. 111-112) He asserts, “People seek to economize on information cost… Physical attributes are ‘cheap’ to observe. If a particular physical attribute is perceived as correlated with a more costly-to-observe one, the observer might use that attribute as an estimator or proxy for the costly-to-observe attribute. The cheaply observed fact that an individual is short, an amputee, a black, or a woman provides what some people deem to be sufficient information for decision-making or predicting the presence of some other more costly-to-observe attribute. For example, if asked to identify individuals with doctorate degrees in physics only by observing race and sex, most of us would assign a higher probability that white or Asian males would have such degrees than black males or women… Stereotyping and prejudging can be independent of preferences. Observing a person’s decision-making behavior does not allow us to say anything unambiguous about that person’s personal preferences with regard to race, sex, ethnicity, and nationality.” (Pg. 117) He notes, “racial hostility by merchants could not adequately explain the higher prices … in black neighborhoods… black neighborhoods tend to be high-cost business environments. Losses from business-related crime are higher there than elsewhere… insurance premiums are also higher; and it is riskier to extend credit.” (Pg. 132) He concludes, “Economically, the solution to some of the problems of upward mobility that many blacks face is relatively simple. The more difficult problem lies in the political arena: how to reduce or eliminate the power of interest groups to use government to exclude? The broad solution to exclusion is for the U.S. Supreme Court to interpret the right to work as it now interprets the right to speech. The Court has all but said that there is no compelling state reason for limiting freedom of speech. Similarly, from a moral point of view, there are very few compelling state reasons for limiting one’s freedom to work.” (Pg. 141) This book will be of keen interest to conservatives.

How much can be blamed on discrimination? Born a slave in Kentucky, Junius G. Graves wen to Kansas in 1879 and amassed a great sum of wealth farming potatoes. He was known as “The Black Potato King”. William W. Browne founded the first black bank in Virginia; H. C. Hayes invented the Haynes Razor Strop in Chicago; A.C. Howard manufactured shoe polish (7,200 boxes per day) in Chicago. This was after the freedom of slaves; however, there were some black business owners prior to freedom of slaves. James Forten (1766-1841) became a very wealthy lumber merchant in Philadelphia, a free district during the time. Stephen Smith and William Shipper had one of the largest wood and coal yards in Philadelphia. He left an estate worth $150,000. John Jones, a Chicago tailor, left behind a fortune of $100,000. It was possible to rise above but it was hard during such times. Williams argues that government regulation most often is the culprit behind indirect and direct discrimination. Minimum wage laws cause companies to hire more experienced workers then inexperienced. Licensing requirements in pretty much any area you can think of, cosmetology and construction trades are just two areas that he writes about. Un-needed licenses adds a barrier as well as cost. In 2020, $13,800 is the average cost to go to cosmetology school. This indirectly effected the black community in a negative way. Prior to freedom of slaves, laws were put in place that directly discriminate against black people. A Washington, D.C. ordinance enacted in 1836 said: “It shall not be lawful for the mayor to grant a license, for any purpose whatever, to any free black or mulatto, except licenses to drive carts, drays, hackney carriages, or wagons.” Many laws like these were put in to action during the 1800s. Willams sees government regulations as the main issue in holding unskilled laborers back.

Walter Williams is brilliant and this book is incredible. It is very well researched. If you're a parent with children in public schools, you will need to give them guidance and instruction outside of school, as the public school systems being government run are just an indoctrination and not really an education. This is one book I would recommend all high school students read. I can recall growing up in public schools the teachers raving about government social programs bringing up the poor and helping society. What this book shows without much cloud of any doubt, is that government regulations on markets are most oftentimes imposed by people in the trade to keep their own wages high and competition down. The government regulations and programs such as minimum wage and welfare work against the poor in inner cities more than any other group in this country. Williams uses good data showing that before welfare and food stamps, the black community was much better off in free markets. This is an excellent book, but the statists in the public school systems will never introduce factual works like this to students, so as a parent you need to take on some of the responsibility yourself. Books like this are a great start. I highly recommended this book for anyone really.

This is a tremendous book! I've always wanted to understand economics, even though those who control it don't want us to understand. I've read two great books already: The Way the World Works, by Waneski, and Henry Hazlitt's "Economics In One Lesson". But because education reform is my favorite issue, Williams advice can be summarized by "Although teachers unions can demand exhorbitant wages for their members, they can't prevent others from teaching better for less money". I certainly want to read more Walter Williams books, and will vote accordingly.