Ezra's Bookshelf

The Sum of Us

by Heather McGhee · 450 pages · ~8 hrs

Race & IdentityEconomics

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Heather McGhee's The Sum of Us argues that racism is the hidden explanation for why America lacks the public goods that other wealthy democracies take for granted. McGhee, a former president of Demos, contends that throughout American history, white Americans have been willing to harm themselves rather than share benefits with Black Americans. Her central metaphor is the drained pool: in the mid-twentieth century, cities across the country literally filled in public swimming pools rather than integrate them, denying everyone a public amenity. McGhee finds this pattern repeated in education, healthcare, housing, and environmental policy. The book is based on years of cross-country travel and interviews with Americans of all races, giving it a personal dimension that complements the policy analysis. McGhee is careful to show that racism harms white Americans too, driving down wages, reducing public investment, and generating mistrust that poisons civic life. She profiles multiracial coalitions that have overcome zero-sum thinking to win victories for everyone. The Sum of Us is hopeful despite its subject, arguing that solidarity dividends are available if Americans can move beyond the politics of racial resentment. Essential reading for understanding how racism shapes policy beyond obviously racial issues.

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