Thomas Sowell on the Myths of Economic Inequality
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Published 2018-12-03
Thomas Sowell discusses economic inequality, racial inequality, and the myths that have continued to falsely describe the system of poverty among different racial and economic classes. He explains the economic theories behind these pervasive myths and proposes fact-based solutions for seemingly intractable situations.
Sowell discusses his early life as a high school dropout and his first full-time job as a Western Union messenger delivering telegrams. He admits to flirting with Marxism in his early twenties as he first tried to grapple with the housing inequality he saw across the neighborhoods of New York City. Marxism, he says, was the only explanation he could find at the time. He went on to serve in the Marine Corps before continuing his education in economics at Harvard and earning a master’s at Columbia and a PhD at the University of Chicago.
Sowell’s first job after his receiving his PhD in economics was working for the Department of Labor, and he says it was there that he realized Marxism was not the answer. He argues that the government has its own institutional interests in inequality that cannot be explained through Marxism. He began to be discouraged by Marxism and the government in general and began searching for better economic ideas and solutions (the free market).
Robinson and Sowell discuss Sowell’s written works, his ideas of racial and economic inequality, the state of the United States today, and much more.
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All Comments (21)
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Every time I retort a point, I start with "I read an article about..." Every time Tom Sowell retorts a point, he starts with "I wrote a book about...." There are levels to this
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As a black man I just want to say... this man changed my life and taught me how to think. I've never felt more free.
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Dr. Sowell should have been our first black President
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"one of the benefits of having a harvard degree is never again having to be impressed by someone with a harvard degree." LOL man this interview is so good.
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"Government is not the personification of the national interest. They have their own interests." An incredibly important statement.
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As a black person, i find it difficult to understand how people like Thomas Sowell, who actually grew up poor, lived through Jim Crow and every other hardship blacks faced back then, could somehow rise above all that resentment of establishment white society and make something of himself, despite the challenges, while youngish people like Ta nehisi Coates, who grew up in a much less racist time and in better conditions, can hold such regressive ideas about whites and race relations and actually be commended for it by the intelligentsia and media of today. It just baffles me. I cannot for the life of me blame a white person today for the atrocities committed by people with whom he shared a skin tone with decades ago.
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This gentleman is 88 years old in this video and his mind is crystal clear and on top of all the points. What an accomplishment, I wish to age as well as he has.
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When I was a school failure, nothing happened. When I got a University education, nothing happened. When I learned to take personal responsibility for my life, everything started to happen.
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“Apparently...lifestyle choices have major consequences” It’s infuriating how people ignore this
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The world still has Thomas Sowell in it. All is not lost.
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I'm black man and I've never read anything by Mr.Sowell, yet I have had these same views since I was a teen-ager. I guess just using your head and looking at things with an open mind and common sense goes a very long way. I will be reading Thomas Sowell now.
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It makes you feel so much more powerful when you realize you are responsible for yourself.
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I wish they mentioned Dr Sowell during African-American History Month.
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If we had 1 pill that would take 50 years off of a persons age id say give it to Dr. Sowell we need that man around for as long as we can have him.
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I just left my room and went straight to Barns and Noble and bought 4 of his books. This man is amazing. Why aren't we playing this guy everywhere
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Came here to restore my faith in humanity
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The logic and articulation from people like Thomas Sowell made me realize that deep down I'm conservative.
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I’m sitting here in Dublin, Ireland being blown away by this man’s intellect, integrity, humility and clarity of thought. What a great pity most of our leaders of today, and especially our politicians, on both sides of the Atlantic, are not worthy of any of these adjectives. If we fail to heed the likes of Dr Sowell, we will indeed pay a heavy price.
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He dropped out of high school, joined the Marines, and then still attended *Harvard*. This right here is what real intelligence looks like. He didn’t need an honor roll in high school to tell him he was smart enough to learn from and teach at Ivy League schools.
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"Socialism is a great idea, but it doesn't mean is a great reality" Gold.
