The Myth That Made Us
How False Beliefs about Racism and Meritocracy Broke Our Economy (and How to Fix It)
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
The Myth That Made Us
How False Beliefs about Racism and Meritocracy Broke Our Economy (and How to Fix It)
About this book
The Myth That Made Us exposes how false narratives—of a supposedly post-racist nation, of the self-made man, of the primacy of profit- and shareholder value-maximizing for businesses, and of minimal government interference—have been used to excuse gross inequities and to shape and sustain the US economic system that delivers them. Jeff Fuhrer argues that systemic racism continues to produce vastly disparate outcomes and that our brand of capitalism favors doing little to reduce disparities. Evidence from other developed capitalist economies shows it doesn't have to be that way. We broke this (mean-spirited) economy. We can fix it.
Rather than merely laying blame at the feet of both conservatives and liberals for aiding and abetting an unjust system, Fuhrer charts a way forward. He supplements evidence from data with insights from community voices and outlines a system that provides more equal opportunity to accumulate both human and financial capital. His key areas of focus include universal access to high-quality early childhood education; more effective use of our community college system as a pathway to stable employment; restructuring key aspects of the low-wage workplace; providing affordable housing and transit links; supporting people of color by serving as mentors, coaches, and allies; and implementing Baby Bonds and Reparations programs to address the accumulated loss of wealth among Black people due to the legacy of enslavement and institutional discrimination. Fuhrer emphasizes embracing humility, research-based approaches, and community involvement as ways to improve economic opportunity.
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Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- A Note from Eastern Bank Foundation
- Preface: A Mainstream Economist Discovers His Blind Spots
- Introduction: Like Dives before Lazarus
- Part I The Myth
- Part II The Facts
- Part III The Myth versus the Facts
- Part IV Broken by Design: How We Have Chosen to Create and Sustain Our Broken System
- Part V The Wreckage
- Part VI What Are You Prepared to Do? The Way Forward
- Acknowledgments
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index