"Citizens that are genuinely concerned with pursuing social justice should do as much as possible to ensure that impoverished and marginalized communities have control of their own resources and, therefore, their economic destiny. ...Compassion should not be selective."
— Dr. Grant Havers, speaking on avenues for social justice
This summer’s events following George Floyd’s death – combined with the COVID-19 pandemic that has disproportionately affected Black Americans – is pushing the conversation about reparations into a different light.
Within the U.S. political arena in particular, talk of reparations is gaining momentum.
Why reparations?
Put simply, reparations is a system for redress of injustice.
In American society, the Black population lags behind the majority in economic measures of wellbeing. The average White family, for example, is ten times as wealthy as the average Black family.
As of August 12, 2020, 142 congress members in the U.S. have co-sponsored H.R. 40, the bill that establishes a commission to study reparations. Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee for president, has said that he supports the bill. On the other hand, some have wondered aloud whether Biden’s running mate Kamala Harris should be obligated to pay reparations.
One American economist has made the case that reparations could cost $10 to $12 trillion dollars.
Implications of reparations
Recently, Dr. Grant Havers, Chair of the Department of Philosophy at Trinity Western University, contributed an article to Law & Liberty on the timely topic of reparations.
“Given the current interest in reparations, it is important to understand the implications of this proposed policy,” Dr. Havers writes in his article. “How far back in history should a nation go in addressing past injustices?”
In his article, Dr. Havers applies libertarian philosopher Robert Nozick’s ideas to this modern issue.
Read Dr. Havers’ article in Law & Liberty
Here below, Dr. Havers shares some thoughts around why he wrote the article, and how the discussion on reparations could apply to readers in B.C., Canada.
Hi, Dr. Havers. Why did you choose this topic?
I had two purposes. First, I wanted to pursue the logic of the argument for reparations. If Americans (and others) are obligated to pay reparations for slavery (which was abolished in the US during their civil war in the 1860s), then are we also obligated to provide reparations for injustices that are more recent in history? Second, I wanted to encourage readers who are devoted to “social justice” to understand the radical and far-reaching implications of related ideas such as reparations.
Reparations – whose responsibility is it?
This question is difficult to answer. How much money would reparations cost and would this be paid equally by rich and poor alike, regardless of color? Let’s take one current example. Senator Kamala Harris, who recently became the Democratic Party’s nominee for Vice-President, is allegedly a descendant of slave-owners on her father’s side (whose ancestry is Jamaican). Even though she has an African and Indian ancestry, is she obligated to pay reparations?
Please expand on your article’s concluding point, “the debate over reparations…[may] lead to an eventual debate over capitalism’s historic effects…” Do you believe capitalism is more harmful than beneficial?
Capitalism is a paradoxical system, both creative and destructive. On the one hand, the market economy is incredibly creative and efficient in bringing forth new products and services that have raised the standard of living for millions of people worldwide. On the other hand, the urbanization and industrialization that accompany the transition to capitalism often end up eradicating traditional economic systems (e.g., small scale agricultural economies) that many people have depended on for centuries. This process continues to this day.
Are there appropriate opportunities to consider reparations within the context of Greater Vancouver or B.C.?
Universities and colleges across the Greater Vancouver area often refer to the lands that they occupy as “unceded territories” of the First Nations. The word “unceded” is synonymous with “stolen.” This use of language could conceivably open the door to reparations. That said, the fair and transparent treaty process that the provincial government has undertaken regarding land claims probably mitigates the need for reparations for First Nations.
Outside of reparations, what options does a society have if it wants to pursue social justice?
Citizens that are genuinely concerned with pursuing social justice should do as much as possible to ensure that impoverished and marginalized communities have control of their own resources and, therefore, their economic destiny. Although the state has a role to play here, it is too often the case that people become overly dependent on the state for direction. This dependence can actually undermine social justice because the state tends to take away the autonomy of communities or deny them a voice. Additionally, the government is not a neutral entity—politicians and their corporate allies usually devote far more attention to some groups rather than others, based on what is politically expedient. For example, the mentally challenged do not receive nearly as much attention and assistance as their numbers warrant. Compassion should not be selective.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students to find and fulfill their purpose in life. It is a fully accredited research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has five campuses: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, Ottawa, and Bellingham, WA. TWU emphasizes academic excellence, research, and student engagement in a vibrant faith community devoted to supporting vibrant leaders seeking to have a transformational impact on culture. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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