Edward Conard

Top Ten New York Times Bestselling Author

  • “Unintended Consequences offers deep and well-argued analyses on almost every issue.” - The New York Times
  • “Unintended Consequences is far smarter and more thought-provoking than most economics written for the general public” - Greg Mankiw, Harvard University, Former Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors
  • “…a very valuable contribution.” - Larry Summers, former Secretary of the Treasury and director of the National Economic Council, president emeritus, Harvard University
  • “Unintended Consequences represents the most cogent and persuasive analysis of the Financial Crisis to date.” - Andrei Shleifer, 1999 John Bates Clark Medal Winner
  • “…reminds us that inequality sends a signal of what society lacks most, in America’s case, entrepreneurship and risk taking.” - Lawrence Lindsey, CEO, The Lindsey Group, former Director of the National Economic Council
  • “Unintended Consequences should be read by anyone who takes for granted the superiority of progressive taxation and has not thought carefully about the trade-offs involved.” - The New Republic
  • “…a very valuable contribution.” - Larry Summers, former Secretary of the Treasury and director of the National Economic Council, president emeritus, Harvard University
  • “A full-throated defense of economic dynamism.” - The Wall Street Journal
  • “…reminds us that inequality sends a signal of what society lacks most, in America’s case, entrepreneurship and risk taking.” - Lawrence Lindsey, CEO, The Lindsey Group, former Director of the National Economic Council
  • “…challenges misconceptions that distort our economic debates.” - Arthur Brooks, President of the American Enterprise Institute
  • “…challenges misconceptions that distort our economic debates.” - Arthur Brooks, President of the American Enterprise Institute
  • “…a fresh argument for the productive value of inequality.” - David Autor, Professor of Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Upside of Inequality Oxford Unintended Consequences

AI Summary. A study of earnings among non-Hispanic White and three generations of Black workers finds that while the overall Black-White earnings gap widened, first- and second-generation Black immigrants made earnings advances, with second-generation Black women earning at or above White women. The authors attribute second-generation gains largely to educational attainment, with residential patterns playing a protective role.

Rong Fu, Neeraj Kaushal, and Felix Muchomba National Bureau of Economic Research
Date Posted:
Is Database:
Database

Over 2019–2024, 2nd-generation immigrant black female workers had earnings as high, or higher, than (non-hispanic) white women; 2nd-generation black male workers earned 10% < these white workers at the median, but this gap disappears at the top decile.

How does immigration reshape the Black-White earnings gap across generations?

Core argument: Among 2nd-generation Black workers in 2019–2024, women had earnings equal to or higher than White women, while men earned 10% less than White men at the median, a gap that disappeared at the top decile.

Our investigation of the earnings gap between non-Hispanic White and three generations of Black workers, during 1995-2024, a period during which the share of 1st- and 2nd-generation immigrants in the Black workforce quadrupled, reveals patterns previously obscured in research that treated the Black population as a monolithic race. In contrast to the well-documented widening in the overall Black White earnings gap, our findings demonstrate remarkable earnings advances among 1st- and 2nd-generation Black immigrants. [In the most recent period, 2019-2024], among women, 2nd-generation Black workers have earnings equal to or higher than those of White women; among men, 2nd-generation Black workers earn 10% less than White workers at the median, but this gap disappears at the top decile. We find the earnings gap between 1st generation Black and White men shrinking at the median, and halving at the top decile, over the study period. Educational attainment largely drives 2nd-generation success, while residential patterns [compared to those of native blacks] play a protective role for the 1st and 2nd generations.

Takeaways by Macro Roundup® AI

  1. Among 2nd-generation Black workers in 2019–2024, women had earnings equal to or higher than White women, while men earned 10% less than White men at the median, a gap that disappeared at the top decile.
  2. The earnings gap between 1st-generation Black and White men shrank at the median and halved at the top decile over 1995–2024, a period in which the share of 1st- and 2nd-generation immigrants in the Black workforce quadrupled.
  3. The authors attribute 2nd-generation earnings success largely to educational attainment, and find residential patterns play a protective role for the 1st and 2nd generations relative to native-born Black workers.

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Showing 131 database articles primarily about Wages/Income