Race & Economics: How Much Can Be Blamed on Discrimination? (Hoover Institution Press Publication) First Edition, 1st

by Walter E. Williams (Author)

109 ratings

ISBN-13: 978-0817912451

ISBN-10: 0817912452

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Walter E. Williams applies an economic analysis to the problems black Americans have faced in the past and still face in the present to show that that free-market resource allocation, as opposed to political allocation, is in the best interests of minorities. He debunks many common labor market myths and reveals how excessive government regulation and the minimum-wage law have imposed incalculable harm on the most disadvantaged members of our society.

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Walter E. Williams is the John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics at George Mason University and a nationally syndicated columnist. He is the author of several books and more than sixty articles that have appeared in such scholarly journals such as Economic Inquiry, American Economic Review, and Social Science Quarterly and popular publications such as Reader's Digest, Regulation, Policy Review, and Newsweek.

Product details

Series: Hoover Institution Press Publication (Book 599)
Paperback: 184 pages
Publisher: Hoover Press; First Edition, 1st edition (April 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0817912452
ISBN-13: 978-0817912451
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
Customer Reviews: 109 customer ratings
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,052 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #13 in Economics (Books)
- #6 in Public Policy (Books)
- #5 in Civil Rights

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Excellent book on the thorny problems of race and how ...

Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2016

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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.

13 people found this helpful

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Robert B. Lloyd

A well researched and challenging book

Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2018

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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.

5 people found this helpful

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-Derrick0572

This is a very insightful book!

Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2013

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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!

21 people found this helpful

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Charles H. Rosa

Great book

Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2014

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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.

9 people found this helpful

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Vacaville Jim

I bought Race & Economics because I enjoyed The State Against Blacks by the same author

Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2016

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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.)

3 people found this helpful

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TMAXIM

Another interesting read by Walter Williams

Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2018

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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.

2 people found this helpful

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Lisa K.

Very Enlightening

Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2018

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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.

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CuriousOne

Unintended Consequences of Anti-Discrimination Laws

Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2011

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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.

14 people found this helpful

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Top international reviews

Mr. P. Waller

Insightful, thought provoking, fact based

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 23, 2018

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I wished we in the UK had more people of Mr Williams and Mr Sowell ilk, who use facts rather than emotion to elucidate what the real problems/complexities in contemporary society are. Whilst reading this book, i had many aha! moments, those moments where you think to yourself "that is just common sense" or "why do we in society think/act in this way, when the alternate is quite clearly more beneficial to all concerned".
Collusion, licensure, monopolies from what i have read have intentionally prevented those in lower socioeconomic standing from gaining economic propsperity. Government with either good intentions or to curry favour with a certain electorate demographic have also, perhaps, unintentionally prevented economic prosperity for a certain demographic as well. The ability to willfully transact in a free market under ones own volition, in which prices are unrestricted and free from regulation, government price setting/monopoloy or any other authority, in my eyes is the only way to elevate those aforementioned persons economic outcome. Read the book, fascinating

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Joel Nicholls

Excellent Read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 4, 2019

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Very much gets to the point and cuts through the spin and politics. Very, very easy to read and follow.

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1 in 10

Worth every penny!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 28, 2019

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Great author...

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