Reviews

• This is a book I would love to see updated. It was written in 1992 or so, with a tell-it-like-it-is perspective. Not only do black Americans live in a racially conscious, occasionally racially-discriminatory, world, but black Americans are capable of independent thought and action. What a liberating idea. Touches a few third rails: affirmative action, anti-semitism/Muslim brotherhood, urban underclass, permanent victimhood. This is interesting reading, although not particularly ground-breaking and fresh. What is great is reading it, in 1990-ish eyes, from a black economics perspective. Glenn C. Loury is not Thomas Sowell or Walter Williams, nor is he Cornel West. He is himself. Chapters 6 and 7 treat "group rights" -- black vs. white -- a concept that is seriously in question almost 20 years after publication. Rather than affirmative action set-asides for race, it would help the poor to a much greater degree to offer eceonomic action for those in the lowest SES. Identifying promising children of no financial means and supporting them with interventions and financial assistance and admissions assistance until age 30 would go a long way toward fixing the problems Loury identifies with affirmative action. For one thing, skin tone would not be automatically associated with lower standrards, a problem he develops strongly in this book. "Group rights" has hit a big problem -- America is so open to minority advancement now, and race mixing is a Nontroversy. So drawing big categories by skin color leaves a bewildering puzzle. Into what "group" do you put the third-generation-middle-class children of this semi-hypothetical couple: Black + immigrant white father, Mexican/white + Asian/black mother, and the kids look "brown"? Add in three generations of home ownership, small business ownership, military service, financial stability, social stability, two generations of college degrees, and what business do our kids have taking affirmative action that should be going to lift a child out of poverty, illiteracy, and chaos? Just when does (should) affirmative action stop? When can America say, we helped that one succeed? This idea, of the stopping point for affirmative action, gets no space in Glenn Loury's book. Instead, he accurately paints a picture of a permanent black victim class, stuck in a victimology rut with other minorities squabbling over government spoils. The economic analysis in chapter 6, while interesting, loses some value over this bi-racial "group rights." People do not fit into these neat bundles, "black" and "white." Time to consider socio-economic status as a driver of affirmative help, rather than skin color.

• A contrast to Cornel West's "Race Matters," Loury takes a bold step into the middle of the intellectual arena. While refusing to spout purely conservative or progressive rhetoric, Loury puts forth compelling arguments for a shift from W.E.B DuBois' liberal ideals to a Booker Washington-like self-help gospel. A very thorough examination of the problems created by political correctness is also included. Overall, well written, but not going to change the world.

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