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Quotation of the Day…

… is from pages 200-201 of Steven Landsburg’s 2009 book, The Big Questions (original emphasis):

But Jim Crow was (among other things) a barrier to trade between the races, and economists know that barriers to trade are generally detrimental to both populations. Whites who were discouraged from serving black customers, or patronizing black businesses, or hiring black workers, or working for black employers, were victims of Jim Crow, just as their counterparts were.

To argue otherwise would be bad economics. It would also be racist. Jim Crow prevented blacks from dealing with whites, and it also prevented whites from dealing with blacks. Who would want to argue that being denied the right to trade with white people is a form of oppression but being denied the right to trade with black people is no big deal?

DBx: Yes.

And do not forget that Jim Crow was enforced with legislation – evil legislation meant to prevent the civilizing, integrating, and barrier-busting forces of competitive markets.

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