THE RACIAL BASIS OF CAPITALISM AND THE STATE, AND THE IMPACT OF THE NEW-DEAL ON AFRICAN-AMERICANS

This paper describes the ways in which African Americans were written out of or subordinated within the social policies of the New Deal peri od. To explain this feature of the New Deal, I argue that the existing social science perspectives on social policy need to be built on a gr eater appreciation of the role of racial subjugation in the constructi on of class interests, party processes, and the state. The recovery of this racial basis helps us understand why our liberal welfare state r esists efforts to move in a more social democratic direction.