Slavery Reparations

Paper Summary:

This paper contends that granting reparations to individuals based solely on their racial and ethnic backgrounds acts against the basic principle of equality in the West. It argues that without a doubt, the effects of slavery and colonialism are still felt to this day and that the suggestion of writing a check to the descendants of those individuals who were directly harmed by slavery is a gross oversimplification of a complex historical issue. It examines the pros and cons of reparations, including historical precedent, concluding that direct reparations should be eschewed in favor of other options.

From the Paper:

"Issuing reparations - whether monetary or otherwise - has become a controversial political issue in the United States, ranking perhaps higher than other racially charged issues like affirmative action. Proponents of such a measure argue that the ill effects of slavery in this nation did not end with the end of slavery. The social institutions that made slavery possible for centuries throughout the West and propagated the slave trade in Africa transformed and continued, creating intergenerational effects that have stifled the potential of Africans in the United States, not to mention the development of African nations that have been permanently affected by colonialism. However, there are problems with issuing reparations. "

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