American economic system....racist????

[Moral Orel]

Capitalism and a free market is rigged against poor people in general. Minorities are disproportionately poor compared to whites, and this is (in part) a direct result of other public policies such as red lining and covenants (mentioned by @essentialsaltes ). So people draw the connection and say capitalism is racist, though it isn't in and of itself.

Here's what I say: help the poor in general, and you will be disproportionately helping minorities more than whites without ever having to bring race into the discussion.

 

[samir]

I have a business website with my picture and name on it. When I changed my picture to the one where I look more white, believe it or not, I get more potential clients inquiring about me!

If you lived in an Asian country, I bet you'd get more potential clients inquiring about you if you used the picture where you looked more Asian.

 

[possibletarian]

Some people will claim that anything that hurts one race is racist. A few years ago an online bank that issued loans based on credit scores was accused of racism because a higher percentage of black applicants were rejected due to having lower credit scores even though the bank didn't know anyone's race.

Another example - An employer was accused of racial discrimination because they required a high school diploma. They lost the lawsuit and were forced to hire dozens of black people who dropped out of high school, pay them for lost wages, and give them seniority over employees they hired earlier.

Do you have links to these cases ?

On occasion like you suggest an accusation and reality can be different things entirely.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Capitalism and a free market is rigged against poor people in general.

Capitalism begins with the massing of capital: money. Most of this money is borrowed initially. Certain requirements must be met by most would-be entrepreneurs. More white people meet those requirements than minorities do, often because of much more home equity, which is the most common form of collateral for small business loans. Even consumer loans are subject to the same credit-worthy scrutiny, and again whites generally have better employment and credit histories than minorities.

The banks have a fiduciary duty to protect the depositors money, so they are often 'careful to a fault' in making any loans.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Here's what I say: help the poor in general, and you will be disproportionately helping minorities more than whites without ever having to bring race into the discussion.

I like this. Helping from a distance.

 

[samir]

Do you have links to these cases ?

On occasion like you suggest an accusation and reality can be different things entirely.

Both were years ago. I didn't save links but I'm sure you can find it on Google.

 

[timewerx]

If you lived in an Asian country, I bet you'd get more potential clients inquiring about you if you used the picture where you looked more Asian.

I already did that before. Result was less clients.

People didn't care where I am or where I've been as long as I looked white enough, that's what mattered most!

 

[essentialsaltes]

Some people will claim that anything that hurts one race is racist.

Maybe some of the people who hold that opinion will actually show up and post in this thread.

 

[quatona]

Some on these very forums.

That the system is rigged against minorities is an oft stated opinion.

I would like to see examples, just to make sure we aren´t dealing with a strawman.

 

[timewerx]

Capitalism and a free market is rigged against poor people in general.

You are actually both right and wrong....

Indeed, unregulated capitalism/free market concept will always be disadvantageous to the weak/poor (it only caters to the strong)

That's why you have the government to make up for the shortcoming of capitalist economy....

Just look at Denmark.....It is still very much capitalist country....But no one is poor in that country because the gov't is quite well designed in their system to allocate funds. It's a working system!

The economic system is probably not the problem why there are poor people but non-competent Government administration of taxes and funds. Your old system and corrupt gov't officials are to blame!

 

[OldWiseGuy]

You are actually both right and wrong....

Indeed, unregulated capitalism/free market concept will always be disadvantageous to the weak/poor (it only caters to the strong)

That's why you have the government to make up for the shortcoming of capitalist economy....

Just look at Denmark.....It is still very much capitalist country....But no one is poor in that country because the gov't is quite well designed in their system to allocate funds. It's a working system!

The economic system is probably not the problem why there are poor people but non-competent Government administration of taxes and funds. Your old system and corrupt gov't officials are to blame!

Denmark has a huge trade surplus, with many countries. Our trade policies stink. That's why we are always short of revenue for social programs while our trading 'partners' prosper, then wag their finger at us for not caring enough for our poor.

https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c4099.html

 

[Dave-W]

If our system of capitalism and free enterprise is racist why are so many minorities able to access and prosper by it? Are those white guys at the top not guarding it well enough?

The system is not inherently racist. It has become that to a degree by my first law of power:

1 - Those in power do what they can to stay in power.

Since the white guys were the first there, they tend to horde the spot to themselves. But since it is not absolute, women and minorities have been able to break thru that and open the way for more of them. The system thrives on competition, no matter where that comes from.

 

[samir]

Maybe some of the people who hold that opinion will actually show up and post in this thread.

Perhaps they won't because it's against the rules since the owners don't tolerate opinions that disagree with their own opinions on race.

Capitalism rewards the intelligent and hard working so people who study hard, earn a degree, and have a good work ethic will be better off than people who are lazy, drop out of high school, and lack a work ethic. How that relates to race I'm not allowed to say because it's against the rules.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Racism is a fact of life. Blacks and others have to learn to live with it as it's not going away anytime soon.

 

[VirOptimus]

If our system of capitalism and free enterprise is racist why are so many minorities able to access and prosper by it? Are those white guys at the top not guarding it well enough? (White guy on guard duty.)

Racism requires agents i.e. people. People are racists so racism exists.

Most agree that this is bad and try to remove racism, som like racism and dont.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

People are racists so racism exists.

That's it in a nutshell.

 

[bhsmte]

Racism requires agents i.e. people. People are racists so racism exists.

Most agree that this is bad and try to remove racism, som like racism and dont.

Agree. With that said, the level of type of racism, changes over time, as culture changes.

 

[quatona]

Racism is a fact of life. Blacks and others have to learn to live with it as it's not going away anytime soon.

...but we don´t have to support or promote it.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

...but we don´t have to support or promote it.

True.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Agree. With that said, the level of type of racism, changes over time, as culture changes.

It has been my experience that white people generally don't pay much attention to the problems of blacks and other minorities. We are just not that concerned with problems that seems so distant from our daily lives. Discussing it here is interesting however.