Read the excerpt below:
"The debt is not about individual handouts. It is about a structural response to a structural grievance. Centuries of state-sanctioned racial oppression created a massive economic gap that cannot be closed by self-help alone. Reparations must take the form of structural investments in education, housing, and economic development to heal the systemic wounds of the past."
— Randall Robinson, *The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks* (2000)
Based on the excerpt, which of the following statements best summarizes Randall Robinson's argument for reparations?
- AReparations should primarily fund the relocation and voluntary emigration of Black Americans to African nations.
- Reparations should consist of structural investments in Black community institutions to address long-term systemic disadvantages.Answer
- CHistorical economic gaps have already been adequately corrected by post-emancipation labor contracts and merit-based opportunities.
- DReparations are intended to punish individual citizens for the actions of past generations rather than addressing institutional structures.
Answer
Reparations should consist of structural investments in Black community institutions to address long-term systemic disadvantages.
The correct option accurately captures the author's primary argument that reparations should address systemic issues through structural investments in community institutions rather than individual handouts.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Debates on Reparations and Afrocentricity