Episode 79: New Deals & Old Tricks
Today’s episode focuses on the history of U.S. social policy and its role in exacerbating black-white economic inequality. The goal of this episode is to counter the political narrative that “a rising tide lifts all boats” and highlight the importance of targeted social policy in the 21st century. After briefly catching up (00:30), Ty and Daphne begin by discussing the broken promises and unfilled potential of the Reconstruction era (9:15). They then have a conversation about the Great Depression and the racial impact and legacy of New Deal legislation (15:55), including the Agricultural Adjustment Act (18:05) and the National Housing Act (21:45). Ty and Daphne also discuss the GI Bill and the government’s role in establishing the white-middle class following WWII (27:45). The host then turn their attention to the Great Recession and its impact on African American neighborhoods and families (41:00) and the potential student loan crisis (1:02:20). They close by discussing recent policy proposals and the importance of race-specific legislation in the future (1:08:34).
Resources:
The Truth Behind ’40 Acres and a Mule’- https://www.pbs.org/wnet/african-americans-many-rivers-to-cross/history/the-truth-behind-40-acres-and-a-mule/
Why Did FDR’s New Deal Harm Blacks? - https://www.cato.org/commentary/why-did-fdrs-new-deal-harm-blacks
The New Deal as raw deal for blacks in segregated communities - https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-new-deal-as-raw-deal-for-blacks-in-segregated-communities/2017/05/25/07416bba-080a-11e7-a15f-a58d4a988474_story.html?utm_term=.e35d8da9f48d
The Recession's Racial Slant - https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/06/black-recession-housing-race/396725/
Book: When Affirmative Action was White
Book: The Color of Law
