Are Blacks Lazy? A Civilian Asks, an Economist Answers

Race, Laziness, IQ
By Walter E. Block

From: S
Sent: Fri 12/16/2016 10:27 PM
To: Walter Block

Subject: Re: Question about Race, Laziness, IQ

Dr. Block,

Do you have any good sources you’d suggest regarding productivity and race? In lectures you sometimes bluntly state that blacks have a lower productivity level than other races…which might trigger some people to twist your words and make it sound like you think blacks are lazy. I’m curious as to if there has been any scholarly work done on this. S

Dear S:

I don’t think blacks are lazy. Well, not particularly lazier than anyone else. They are certainly not lazy on the basketball court, or running the sprints or the marathon. Hey, we’re all lazy, no? It’s a human condition. We could all do more than we do.

However, I think blacks have lower productivity on average in the marketplace. Evidence? Their wages are lower, on average, and, in equilibrium, wages equal (discounted marginal revenue) productivity. In the real world, wages are forever tending in the direction of equality with productivity, but reach it only in equilibrium.

Also, there is a wealth of empirical data supporting the fact that blacks have lower IQs than whites (and that Orientals have higher IQs than whites).
You could start with this book on that contention: [N.S.: Only Northeastern Orientals from Japan, China, South Korea and Singapore have higher average I.Q.s than whites (105-108). South Asians have much lower average I.Q.s. For example, Indians have an average I.Q. of 82.]

Herrnstein, Richard J., and Murray, Charles. 1994. The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life, New York: The Free Press

Here are more readings on this subject (Bloch: I don’t necessarily agree with any of this material, but they are all of interest):

Levin, Michael, 1996, “Why Race Matters: A Preview,” The Journal of Libertarian Studies, Vol. 12, No. 2, Fall, pp. 287-312;

Levin, Michael. 1982. “Is Racial Discrimination Special?,” Policy Review, Vol. 22, Fall, pp. 85-95

Levin, Michael. Why Race Matters, Westport, CT: Praeger

Strakon, Nichaolas. 1996. “Sweeping Rand’s barnyard: Racism and individualism,” The Last Ditch, Whole Number 14, October 28;
http://www.thornwalker.com/ditch/barnyard.htm

Rushton, Philippe, J. Race, Evolution, and Behavior: A Life History Perspective
http://www.charlesdarwinresearch.org/reb.html

Rushton, Philippe, J. 1997. Race, Evolution, and Behavior: A Life History Perspective. Second Unabridged Edition. New Brunswick, N.J. Transaction publishers

Rushton, Philippe, J. 2000. Race, Evolution, and Behavior: A Life History PerspectiveI. Second Abridged Edition; copyright, self published, by J. Phillippe Rushton

Dennett, Daniel C. 1996. Darwin’s dangerous idea: evolution and the meanings of life; Simon & Schuster

Rushton, Philippe, J. 1997. “The Mismeasures of Gould.” September 15; http://www.vdare.com/articles/the-mismeasures-of-gould

Sailer. Steve. 2011. “The Mismeasure of Science.” June 10;
http://www.vdare.com/posts/the-mismeasure-of-science

3:50 p.m. on March 1, 2019

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N.S.: Of course, blacks are lazier, on average, than whites. Block is being very careful here, because people tried to get him fired several years ago. But since he admitted that whites have a higher average IQ than blacks, I don’t think it’s going to help him.