Many years ago Dr. Walter Williams wrote a book entitled The State Against Blacks.
It was a book that I believed would be excellent required reading in an elementary economics course. I especially thought this for the brief time when I taught at an historically black university. Of course that was impossible, because Dr. Williams was “politically incorrect” in stating views that ran contra to prevailing visions.
The book and the reaction to it is indicative of why economics is referred to as the dismal science. Economics is neither optimistic nor pessimistic nor dismal. It is merely (or should be) a study of human nature and action. It deals with the world that is, not the world as some utopian would like it to be.
Good economics is at odds with utopias. To utopians or central planners, economics is dismal because it presents obstacles to their programs. Economics is not against utopians per se. It merely exposes the inconsistencies and impossibilities contained within their cherished pipe dreams.
To realists, economics is practical and common sense. Hence, uneducated people often exhibit greater economic insight than professors of economics. The professors too often are swayed by normative views (how they would like the world to be) than the positivist views (how the world is) that should be directing their study. Too often their vision of how society “should” be overwhelms their economic reasoning and common sense.
Dr. Williams book deals with social policy aimed at helping people, blacks in particular. He uses clear economic reasoning to expose the fallacies in many of these policies and how these policies have been harmful to the groups targeted to benefit.
Recently I discovered a 4-part PBS series based on the book. Each segment is 10 minutes in length. Here is the first one. If you enjoy it, you can find the other three on Youtube.
HappyinHowell: 
Mr Misno: 
Marsha: 
Brian Wilson: 
Steve: 
Larry Crouse: 
Brian Wilson: 
Monty Pelerin: 
Bob Snyder: 
Syrin: 
I watched the entire program and it’s just as relevant today as it was 28 years ago. Facts is facts and what we have now that we didn’t have then was an intergenerational expectation of entitlement. I have black friends that are now in their 4th and 5th generation of living on Sec 8 and food stamps and ADC and you name it. And it’s now factored in. Their kids see it, it’s reenforced by the hideous education(?) the teacher’s union stamp onto their brains, the sewer culture and the codifying this behavior gets from assclowns like Rangel.
Mr Williams is correct about getting some work early. I was out in the winter shoveling walks and in the summer, looking for yard work. I had a paper route in the morning before school and one after before I went to work at a local drug store. Now a days, guys in cars are delivering newspapers, I haven’t had a kid ever come by and offer to do my walk or any yard work and there’s no such thing as putting in a few hours at the local drug store unless you fill out a raft of applications.
The racism I see now comes from the left. Rangel and his ilk look at everything through skin color. They say blacks don’t do well because of racism. That’s bull. This victimhood mentality that is hammered into blacks has taken it’s toll. They really believe they’re oppressed. They really believe they’re entitled. Race relations are the worst they’ve been in my life since the 60s. The race pimps have to keep blacks enflamed. The fact is that I do not know one conservative that doesn’t wish the best for everyone that works for what they want. Everyone.
In my small business, I would love to be able to hire a couple kids to learn my skillz, my art. Can’t do it unless I pay them far more then they’re worth. Everything Walter said is true. So much waste because of the nanny state pREgressives. Well, their day is over. Now the only question is, how violent will the true change be?
As an aside, what a hoot to see Rangel spouting his bullshit then and the position he’s in today. I believe he really thinks that he didn’t commit any crimes. It’s that entitlement mentality
I could only watch about 2:30. I like Walt Williams. I believe blacks had it right 100 years ago when they coined the phrase the ‘talented tenth’. To my understanding they were talking about 10% of the black population that could compete scholastically, (I need a better term) with the rest of the world….. scholastically, temperamentally, have a personal growth plan, something along those lines……… The 800 pound gorilla in the middle of the room is that most blacks aren’t in the ‘game’. Oh sure, they can play sports, and if we keep trying there might even be a super black quarterback some day. But the reality is that most of the nba can’t spell kat if you spot them the k and the t. Now, millions of these people are born and grow up, go to school and fall by the wayside. If they are exceptional athletes or have some other skill, we might hear of them in a positive way. If not, they spend their time hanging out and wasting time. Even their leaders think along the lines that if you put too many people on one end of an island, it will tip over. These millions are frustrated and know they aren’t going to be able to compete if reading, writing and ‘rithmatic are involved…….. throw in a lack of delaying gratification or planning how to work towards something and you have a problem we can’t really talk about. There are a large number of whites like that also, but they seem to aquire some basic skill like plumbing or putting things together or simply trying to do a job that doesn’t require a lot of brain power……… But blacks as a whole don’t seem to be able to do those things and then, they look around for someone to blame. Some one to take that frustration and hopelessness out on…………
that’s why sharpton and jessejackson are so successful in leading these people…… I see little hope……not in my lifetime.
We give them a chance to run things and they are even more corrupt than the usual……. see rangel and what’ser-name from LA. Maxine waters…. maybe someone has a better take on it than me. Blind ignorance doesn’t count.