Race and the Social Contract

The United States has a long history of both racial diversity and racial discord – a history that has traditionally distinguished it from many nations in Europe. The US also distinguishes itself from Europe on another score, by not adopting the large-scale spending on social programs that characterize the modern European welfare state. Eduardo Porter in the New York Times suggests that these two phenomena are related: American racism, he argues, has constrained American social spending while white Europeans are comfortable with welfare spending that benefits other white Europeans. “Globalization presents the United States with an enormous challenge,” writes Porto. “Rising to the test will require big investments in the public good – from infrastructure to education to a safety net protecting those most vulnerable to change. Americans must once again show their ability to transcend group interests for a common national cause.” If the United States is to make the large public investments that it needs in order to harness the benefits of a globalized future, it must transcend the racist legacy of its own past. – YaleGlobal