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<P>To the extent that you can even think about "operationalizing" reparations to Nazi slave laborers 55 years later, the American slavery reperations case for many reasons would be frought with even more difficulties. I find the explanation of the legal process thoroughly uncovincing -- possibly convincing only for lawyers and the occasional economist who will try to apply figures to this theory. As well as being vulgarly empiricist for anyone to even begin to put a price tag on slavery and dole it out on a per capita basis, it seems if reperations reached the descendents in a lump sum it would even be an insult, little more than a symbolic tax return. At least the German government pays out pensions. This is not to mention the cottage industry of non-profit organizations that would pop up everywhere once there is a pot to put their hands in.</P></DIV>>From: "Justin Schwartz" <JKSCHW@HOTMAIL.COM>
<DIV></DIV>>Reply-To: lbo-talk@lists.panix.com
<DIV></DIV>>To: lbo-talk@lists.panix.com
<DIV></DIV>>Subject: RE: Reparations -- Yes? (was Re: Joy In Horowitzville)
<DIV></DIV>>Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 17:59:39 -0000
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Actually, it wouldn't be hard to operationalize reparations for
<DIV></DIV>>slavery,
<DIV></DIV>>just as reparations to Nazi slave laborers can be operationalized,
<DIV></DIV>>like any
<DIV></DIV>>class action-type limited fund. Set a settlement amount, appropriate
<DIV></DIV>>the
<DIV></DIV>>money, come up with a formula for distribition, such as a per capita
<DIV></DIV>>amount
<DIV></DIV>>for every person who can show she or he had slave ancestors, and
<DIV></DIV>>send out
<DIV></DIV>>the checks. Lawyers and courts do this all the time. I've done it,
<DIV></DIV>>or
<DIV></DIV>>participated in the process, myself. It's routine. Whether it would
<DIV></DIV>>be a
<DIV></DIV>>good idea is another question. But practicalities are not an
<DIV></DIV>>obstacle. --jks
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>>
<DIV></DIV>>>
<DIV></DIV>>> > How do you imagine reparations being "operationalized," as the
<DIV></DIV>>>social
<DIV></DIV>>> > scientists say?
<DIV></DIV>>> >
<DIV></DIV>>> > Doug
<DIV></DIV>>>*******
<DIV></DIV>>>
<DIV></DIV>>>Start with grassroots agitation to get Congressional hearings so
<DIV></DIV>>>the whole
<DIV></DIV>>>history can be laid out to the citizenry, lest we reproduce our
<DIV></DIV>>>amnesia.
<DIV></DIV>>>
<DIV></DIV>>>Ian
<DIV></DIV>>>
<DIV></DIV>>
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