The “Race-Specific Policies and the Truly Disadvantaged” by William Julius Wilson

The “Race-Specific Policies and the Truly Disadvantaged” by William Julius Wilson is significant work devoted to the subject of race and ethnicity in American life. In difference to other literature works on the same topic, this book contains the original proposal to improve the lives of disadvantaged.

According to William Julius Watson, the main problem of modern society is fundamentally wrong approach to the system of benefits providing. In his work, author grounds the point that really disadvantaged people should not feel the separation by some ethnic or other identities. In this turn, it would be much more efficient to stress the oppressed conditions of life, instead of some racial attribute. William Julius Wilson claims the biggest mistake is made by legislation, which intended to focus on ethnical equality. Such approach cannot decline the discrimination through recognition, which is provoked by legislators who make focus on racial feature by the way.

The author determines that the legislative intent to minorities protecting is no more relevant in comparison to times, when there was objective need to overcome slavery consequences. He stresses that from 1970 all generated policies directed to minorities, instead of individuals who feel real need in support. As the result, only already advantaged minorities are able to get benefits proclaimed by legislators. This fact is explained by means and mental appropriateness of advantaged to take the benefits given by the state. At the same time, those who feel real need in them remain not benefited. The writer goes to say that current social realities require other approach to reforms providing. In order to help disadvantaged, William Julius Wilson proposes to address policies not to minorities, but to focus on individuals. According to the scholar, this approach will help to equalize opportunities of benefits obtaining.

He singles out that only in this case the help will be obtained by the correct receivers. Moreover, Wilson proposes the universal reform free from any gender, ethic or racial attributes. According to scholar, this reform will help every disadvantaged individual to take the same rights to enter light and slack labor markets as well as advantaged.

The read text is incredibly strong with passion of scholar to achieve the real equality in our society. William Julius Wilson is pretty persuasive with arguments to criticize existing systems of benefited opportunities providing. He presented long list of evidences to support the idea about downfall of current system. In addition, the scholar clearly stated his plan about universal economic reforms providing. However, being very strong with theoretical thoughts, the author left some gap in practical part. In this regard, he did not explain in what way will be his “global transformation” implemented. In other words, there is the serious lack with detail examination. It looks like general reader is not able to see the way of theory realization. Thereby, some doubts are raised naturally. On the other hand, we cannot deny that the entire concept of Wilson reform is rather sense full and contributes much to the topic of Race and Ethnicity in American life. In this respect, the idea towards necessity on individuals focusing is worth to be called promising. It should be noted that rather similar ideas were already supported by some other respectful scholars. However, no one of them presented so deep analysis of factors leading to social separation to poor and rich. By determining the causes of dreadful inequality, William Julius Wilson offers the idea how to break them down, involving all aspects of contemporary life.



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