Questions about a Path to Economic Equality

BlackEconomics.org®

Blacks Americans have been on a long, arduous, and multitrack path to equality in the US since the end of the Civil War and adoption of the XIII Amendment to the US Constitution on December 18, 1865.

One-hundred and fifty-nine years later, Black Americans have rightly or wrongly positioned “economic equality” at or near the top of our agenda. But what does economic equality mean? Assuming that it can be achieved, which path should be taken to reach economic equality? The following questions may enable us to grasp the true nature of the economic equality conundrum now confronting Black and non-Black Americans.

1. There may be other ways to characterize Black – Non-Black economic equality in the US; however, do you agree that at least one logical characterization is when, on average, income-and wealth-wise, Black Americans’ economic statistics match those of Non-Black Americans’?
2. For groups of economic agents in a US-type pseudo capitalist/market economy, do you not expect incessant competition for advancement, and for purposeful group and individual efforts to preserve and/or advance economic position and power? In other words, do you expect economic agents to
   act generally and voluntarily to allow other economic agents to freely elevate to a superior position? What evidence do you possess concerning this situation?
3. Do you believe that even indicting, guilt-inducing, vigorous, and vociferous demands/requests for equality will be sufficient to cause economic agents (generally) to willingly deposition themselves (income-and wealth-wise) to the benefit of economic agents with lower levels of income and wealth?
4. Given the current and expected future nature (growth in production; consumption; human and cultural capital; material and financial resources; and technology) of Black and Non-Black American economies, do you believe that there is a sufficient period during which economic convergence could occur “organically” between the two groups? Can you fathom the duration of that period in years?
5. Do you agree that, except with a very low probability and major revisions to the status quo, Black America cannot achieve economic equality with Non-Black America without a gift?(1)
6. Do you agree that, if a gift is given, then it must be very large to generate Black – Non-Black economic equality?
7. Given history and the generally accepted future vision of today’s world, how should such a gift be structured to be most efficacious and economically optimizing for Black America?
8. Alternatively, how should such a gift be configured to be appealing to most Black Americans and not completely unappeal- ing to Non-Black Americans?
9. What do you believe is the probability that such a gift will ever be given by Non-Blacks to Black Americans? Why?

We will plan to provide succinct responses to these questions in our next submission. In the interim, we welcome your responses.

B Robinson
04/05/24

1 With question 5 in mind, consider Brooks Robinson (2009), “The Impossibility of Equality Without a Gift,” BlackEcoomics.org, https://www.blackeconomics.org/BELit/tiewg.pdf, (Ret. 040324).