Faded Dreams: The Politics and Economics of Race in America

by Martin Carnoy

Overview

Faded Dreams paints a new and challenging picture of how racial inequality has evolved in America. Martin Carnoy shows that three dominant views of economic differences between blacks and whites—that blacks are individually responsible for not taking advantage of market opportunities, that the world economy has changed in ways that puts blacks at a tremendous disadvantage compared to whites, and that pervasive racism is holding blacks down—do not adequately explain why blacks made such large gains in the past and stopped making them in the 1980s and 1990s. Using a systematic analysis of fifty years of data on income, education, and the variety of jobs that both blacks and whites have held, Faded Dreams offers a powerful argument for active government intervention to improve the education and living conditions of disadvantaged black children.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521470629
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	11/25/1994
Pages:	300
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.33(h) x 0.94(d)

Table of Contents

1. Introduction; 2. The ups and downs of African-American fortunes; 3. The politics of explaining inequality; 4. Are blacks to blame?; 5. Is the economy to blame?; 6. Has racism and discrimination increased?; 7. Politics and black educational opportunity; 8. Politics and black job opportunities (I); 9. Politics and black job opportunities (II); 10. Black economic gains and ideology: The White House factor; 11. Any hope for greater equality?

Editorial Reviews

"This is a straightforward, informative, clearheaded, and useful book....Generalists will learn a lot from this book; specialists will learn some; and anyone interested in the politics and economics of race will do well to read it." The Annals of the American Academy

"With persuasiveness and passion, Martin Carnoy demonstrates that government must be the key actor in solving America's racial dilemma." Nicholas Lemann, author of the The Promised Land

"Faded Dreams details specific and compelling evidence about patterns of racially based economic injustice, and explains why it persists in America. Professor Carnoy makes a solid case that the government must intervene more to resolve these problems." Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (1st Congressional District, Michigan)

"Faded Dreams details specific and compelling evidence about patterns of racially based economic injustice, and explains why it persists in America. Professor Carnoy makes a solid case that the government must intervene more to resolve these problems." Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (1st Congressional District, Michigan)

"Faded Dreams is the most important book on race and the economy in quite a few years....Carnoy's reminder of the power of political intervention sounds a bracing wake-up call in this era of poltical cynicism." Chris Tilly, American Journal of Sociology

"Faded Dreams is the most important book on race and the economy in quite a few years....Carnoy's reminder of the power of political intervention sounds a bracing wake-up call in this era of poltical cynicism." Chris Tilly, American Journal of Sociology

From the Publisher