Slavery's Long Shadow

one of distressing things me recent event in south carolina lack of awareness of history. sometimes, lack of awareness more or less due thing-- younger people find issue of intermarriage, example, non-issue. and, younger people don't think of grandparents, , parents, racists.

yet, many of political issues see today, of cast libertarian issues, flowed same wellspring of slavery , racism. herewith excerpt paul krugman editorial:

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america less racist nation used be, , i’m not talking still remarkable fact african-american occupies white house. raw institutional racism prevailed before civil rights movement ended jim crow gone, although subtler discrimination persists. individual attitudes have changed, too, dramatically in cases. example, 1980s half of americans opposed interracial marriage, position held tiny minority.

yet racial hatred still potent force in our society, we’ve been reminded our horror. , i’m sorry this, racial divide still defining feature of our political economy, reason america unique among advanced nations in harsh treatment of less fortunate , willingness tolerate unnecessary suffering among citizens.

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my own understanding of role of race in u.s. exceptionalism largely shaped 2 academic papers.

first, political scientist larry bartels, analyzed move of white working class away democrats, move made famous in thomas frank’s “what’s matter kansas?” mr. frank argued working-class whites being induced vote against own interests right’s exploitation of cultural issues. mr. bartels showed working-class turn against democrats wasn’t national phenomenon — entirely restricted south, whites turned overwhelmingly republican after passage of civil rights act , richard nixon’s adoption of so-called southern strategy.

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the second paper, economists alberto alesina, edward glaeser, , bruce sacerdote, titled “why doesn’t united states have european-style welfare state?” authors — not, way, liberal — explored number of hypotheses, concluded race central, because in america programs needy seen programs people: “within united states, race single important predictor of support welfare. america’s troubled race relations major reason absence of american welfare state.”

now, paper published in 2001, , might wonder if things have changed since then. unfortunately, answer haven’t, can see looking @ how states implementing — or refusing implement — obamacare.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/22/opinion/paul-krugman-slaverys-long-shadow.html

 

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