ABSTRACT
In “Black Reparations-Two Views,” 1 Michael Harrington rejected and Arnold Kaufman endorsed Jam es Forman’s demand for $500 million in reparation from Christian churches and Jewish synagogues for their part in the exploitation of black people. Harrington’s position involves two dif ferent points; he argues that reparation is irrelevant and unwarranted be cause even if it were made, it would do little to “even up incomes” ; and he maintains that the demand for reparation will be counterproductive, since it will “divert precious political energies from the actual struggle” to even up incomes. Now, though Kaufman seemed to show good reason that, contra Harrington, the demand for reparation could be productive, I shall in the ensuing, completely disregard that issue. Whether the demand for repara tion is counterproductive or not is a question the answer to which depends on the assessment of a large number of consequences which cannot be an swered by philosophy alone.
