# Race and Economics

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1975 book by Thomas Sowell

Race and Economics Paperback cover (1975) Author Thomas Sowell Language English Publisher David McKay Company Publication date 1975 Publication place United States Media type Print Pages 276 (paperback) ISBN 0-679-30262-X OCLC 909822366 Dewey Decimal 330.9/73 LC Class 74019982 Preceded by Say's Law: A Historical Analysis Followed by Knowledge and Decisions

***Race and Economics*** is a book by [Thomas Sowell](/source/Thomas_Sowell), in which the author analyzes the relationship between [race](/source/Race_in_the_United_States) and [wealth](/source/Wealth_in_the_United_States) in the United States, specifically contrasting groups like [African Americans](/source/African_Americans), [Caribbean Americans](/source/West_Indian_Americans), [Italian Americans](/source/Italian_Americans), and [Japanese Americans](/source/Japanese_Americans). The book was initially published by [David McKay Company](/source/David_McKay_Company) in 1975 and reprinted by [Longman](/source/Longman) in 1977 and 1982.[1]

The book was praised by [Elliott Abrams](/source/Elliott_Abrams) and [James Tobin](/source/James_Tobin), and U.S. Supreme Court Justice [Clarence Thomas](/source/Clarence_Thomas) cited the book as a major influence.

## Overview

Sowell makes three basic arguments. First, he examines the economic impact of [slavery](/source/Slavery), in the United States, the [West Indies](/source/West_Indies), and elsewhere. He distinguishes rural slavery from urban slavery, and circumstances in which blacks so predominated that many economic tasks fell to them of necessity, from circumstances in which blacks were punished for initiative and the development of skills.[2]: 6–7

Next, he compares the economic skills, circumstances, and successes of [American blacks](/source/African_American), [West Indian blacks](/source/West_Indian_Americans), [Puerto Ricans](/source/Puerto_Rican_American), [Mexicans](/source/Mexican_American), [Jews](/source/History_of_the_Jews_in_the_United_States), [Irish](/source/Irish_Americans), [Italians](/source/Italian_Americans), [Scottish](/source/Scottish_Americans), and other [ethnic groups](/source/Ethnic_group).[2]: 67, 77, 80, 100, 102, 108[3]: 1126 He notes statistical quirks; *e.g.*, comparisons of per capita income need to be checked against the median age of the groups concerned. The median age of [Russians](/source/Russians) in the U.S. at the time of the book's publishing (1975) was 47, of the Irish 36, of blacks 23, of Puerto Ricans, 18.[2]: 150 Income tends to be higher in higher age cohorts; and unemployment tends to be higher in lower cohorts. If one matches age cohort to age cohort—those in their twenties, in their thirties, in their forties, etc., comparisons are considerably more just.

He also argues that the stark comparisons between white and black people are misleading, for instance, as reviewed by the *American Journal of Sociology*: "...income from nonlabor sources is grossly underreported and is also concentrated among wealthy whites."[3]: 1127 [Nancy J. Weiss](/source/Nancy_Weiss_Malkiel), history professor at [Princeton University](/source/Princeton_University), also analyzed Sowell's contrast between ethnic groups: "...those who castigate blacks and Puerto Ricans for failing to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps in the manner of Irish or Jewish immigrants of the last century are ignoring a whole complex of cultural and economic factors that need to be understood in historical perspective."[4]: 682

His third argument criticizes past governmental and economic policies, and opens up questions for the future. He has criticisms to make of [liberals](/source/Liberalism), [radicals](/source/Extremism), and [conservatives](/source/Conservatism), each of whom, he finds, protect their favorite illusions with respect to blacks.[2]: 225[5]: 1392 In conclusion, Sowell finds that ethnic groups that emphasize individualism, economic assimilation with mainstream society, and emphasis on self-reliance over political power are more successful.[5]: 1392

## Reception

In a 1977 review for the *[Journal of Economic Literature](/source/Journal_of_Economic_Literature)*, [Yale University](/source/Yale_University) professor [James Tobin](/source/James_Tobin) had a mixed review, praising the "great deal of wisdom" while criticizing "the long historical view and dispassionate analytical approach".[5]: 1393 Tobin was complimentary of the book's "disposing of the crude ideologies of exploitation and discrimination" while questioning Sowell's "confidence in the benign outcomes of unfettered markets and social adaptation".[5]: 1393–1394

For the *[American Journal of Sociology](/source/American_Journal_of_Sociology)*, [Hofstra University](/source/Hofstra_University) professor Lynn Turgeon called the book "stimulating" and Sowell "a brilliant purveyor of unfashionable economic ideas associated with the [Chicago School](/source/Chicago_school_of_economics)."[3]: 1126

Reviewing the book for *[Commentary](/source/Commentary_(magazine))* in 1975, [Elliott Abrams](/source/Elliott_Abrams) considered it "extremely useful" for "apply[ing] logic and economic analysis to group history" and "defy[ing] the conventional wisdom".[6]}: 93 Allan C. Brownfield called the book "eloquent and honest" in 1976 for *[The Freeman](/source/The_Freeman)*.[7]: 186

*Race and Economics* greatly influenced [Supreme Court](/source/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States) Justice [Clarence Thomas](/source/Clarence_Thomas).[8]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Race and Economics, showing editions"](https://search.worldcat.org/formats-editions/10963033?limit=20&offset=1&orderBy=publicationDateDesc). WorldCat. Retrieved April 20, 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Sowell_1975_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Sowell_1975_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Sowell_1975_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Sowell_1975_2-3) Sowell, Thomas (1975). [*Race and Economics*](https://archive.org/details/raceeconomics00thom). New York: David McKay Company. pp. [6-7](https://archive.org/details/raceeconomics00thom/page/6/mode/2up?q=rural+slavery), [67](https://archive.org/details/raceeconomics00thom/page/66/mode/2up?q=jewish), [77](https://archive.org/details/raceeconomics00thom/page/76/mode/2up?q=scotland), [80](https://archive.org/details/raceeconomics00thom/page/80/mode/2up?q=italian), [100](https://archive.org/details/raceeconomics00thom/page/100/mode/2up?q=indies), [102](https://archive.org/details/raceeconomics00thom/page/102/mode/2up?q=puerto), [108](https://archive.org/details/raceeconomics00thom/page/108/mode/2up?q=mexican), [150](https://archive.org/details/raceeconomics00thom/page/150/mode/2up?q=russian), [225](https://archive.org/details/raceeconomics00thom/page/224/mode/2up?q=liberal). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [067950527X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/067950527X) – via Internet Archive.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Turgeon_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Turgeon_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Turgeon_3-2) Turgeon, Lynn (1977). "Reviewed Work: Race and Economics. Thomas Sowell". *American Journal of Sociology*. **82** (5): 1126–1127. [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [2777827](https://www.jstor.org/stable/2777827).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Weiss_4-0)** Weiss, Nancy J. (1976). "Review [Black Migration; Race and Economics]". *The American Historical Review*. **81** (3): 681–682. [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [1852628](https://www.jstor.org/stable/1852628).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Tobin_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Tobin_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Tobin_5-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Tobin_5-3) Tobin, James (1977). ["Race and economics (Book Review)"](https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=5306010&site=ehost-live&scope=site). *Journal of Economic Literature*. **15** (4): 1391–1394. [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [2723002](https://www.jstor.org/stable/2723002). Retrieved April 19, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Abrams_6-0)** Abrams, Elliott (October 1975). ["Group Success"](https://www.proquest.com/docview/1290135145). *Commentary*. Vol. 60, no. 4. pp. 93–94. [ProQuest](/source/ProQuest) [1290135145](https://www.proquest.com/docview/1290135145). Retrieved June 8, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Brownfield_7-0)** Brownfield, Allan C. ["Race and Economics"](https://cdn.mises.org/The%20Freeman%201976_2.pdf) (PDF). *The Freeman*. Vol. 26, no. 3. pp. 186–189. Retrieved June 8, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Foskett, Ken (2004). [*Judging Thomas: The Life and Times of Clarence Thomas*](https://archive.org/details/judgingthomaslif00fosk). New York: HarperCollins. pp. [142](https://archive.org/details/judgingthomaslif00fosk/page/142/mode/2up?q=%22Thomas+sowell%22)–[144](https://archive.org/details/judgingthomaslif00fosk/page/144/mode/2up?q=%22welfare+policies+insulted%22). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0060527226](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0060527226).

v t e Works by Thomas Sowell Race and Economics (1975) Knowledge and Decisions (1980) A Conflict of Visions (1987) Inside American Education (1993) The Vision of the Anointed (1995) Basic Economics (2000–2014) Applied Economics (2003; 2008) Affirmative Action Around the World (2004) Black Rednecks and White Liberals (2005) The Housing Boom and Bust (2009) Intellectuals and Society (2010) Wealth, Poverty and Politics (2015; 2016) Charter Schools and Their Enemies (2020)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Race and Economics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_Economics) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_Economics?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.