The Sum of Us Summary

What if we could all prosper together, instead of believing that one group’s gain is another’s loss?

1. The Myth of the Zero-Sum Game

The belief rooted in America’s history is that gains for one racial group mean losses for another. This false idea has ensured many white Americans fear equality, seeing it as a threat to their own well-being. It’s a psychological trap that thrives on competition rather than unity.

Historically, white Americans’ economic dominance was built on the exploitation of people of color. European settlers justified slavery and land theft by creating racial hierarchies, setting the stage for centuries of discrimination. This hierarchy’s legacy persists in political behavior, with racial fears manipulated to push policies that harm everyone except the wealthy elite.

For example, policies opposing racial equality are sold as ‘protecting the status quo.’ Conservative politicians amplify these zero-sum fears, framing measures like green energy or wage increases as harming white individuals to benefit others. This belief prevents meaningful reforms and keeps communities divided, ensuring major systemic issues go unaddressed.

Examples

• Study findings show that white political conservatism increases when exposed to media about demographic shifts.
• The historical construction of racial hierarchies during slavery justified centuries of systemic inequality.
• Politicians frame benefits like healthcare and welfare as “handouts” for minorities, even when they help everyone.

2. Racism Has Weakened Public Services

Instead of sharing resources like public pools or funds post-desegregation, many white communities dismantled these shared spaces. This refusal to integrate public goods stems from a fear of losing racial privilege and has led to generations of declining public infrastructure.

When Franklin Roosevelt introduced the New Deal in the 1930s, it revitalized public programs and built a booming middle class. But discriminatory laws excluded countless Black Americans. When civil rights activists began fighting for inclusion post-1950s, white support for these initiatives plummeted, transforming collective services into symbols of racial unrest.

Rather than expanding benefits to everyone, many white communities chose to discontinue them entirely. For example, Montgomery, Alabama, closed its public pool in 1959 rather than desegregate it. Similarly, public policies to uplift Black Americans, like affordable housing or school funding, are often blocked under the guise of protecting “white taxpayers.”

Examples

• Public pools across the US were destroyed instead of desegregated in the late 1950s.
• Redlining ensured New Deal housing policies almost exclusively benefited white families.
• White support for activist government policies declined from 70% in the 1950s to 35% after civil rights activism peaked.

3. Racism and Inequality Erode Democracy

Racist foundations have long curtailed true democracy in America. Although legal changes granted Black Americans voting rights in theory, tactics like poll taxes and literacy exams served to suppress their political power for decades.

Modern voter suppression builds on past strategies with updated tools. Registration laws, voter ID requirements, and poll closings disproportionately target Black and other marginalized voters. These policies weaken election turnouts and entrench power within a wealthy and predominantly white elite. For instance, states like Texas have made it harder for minorities to vote by using selective forms of voter ID.

Restrictions on voting don’t harm only minorities; they undermine democracy itself. Lower voter turnout, redistricting loopholes, and hurdles to registration keep large groups of the population from being represented, ultimately poisoning the political system. Democracy cannot flourish while selective, exclusionary practices remain in place.

Examples

• Between 1930 and 1944, voter participation in poll tax states fell to 18%, compared to a 69% national average.
• Texas allows gun permits for voting but rejects college IDs, deterring younger, more diverse voters.
• Ohio removes citizens from voter rolls for low turnout in previous elections, predominantly affecting urban areas.

4. Division Weakens Worker Power

Corporate leaders and politicians have consistently used race to divide workers, convincing white laborers that supporting unions might give Black workers an unfair advantage. This strategy has left workers across all races with fewer protections and weakened bargaining power.

Unions, historically a force for change, lost momentum as civil rights movements gained strength in the 1960s. Efforts to form multiracial labor coalitions were thwarted by rhetoric framing unions as protective of “lazy” Black workers. This tactic convinced many white employees to side against collective strength in favor of preserving perceived privileges.

While racial resentment undermines progress, movements like the 2012 “Fight for 15” campaign are proving the effectiveness of multiracial organizing by securing better wages and conditions across various industries. They’ve shown that collective action benefits everyone, regardless of race.

Examples

• In 2017, Nissan workers declined unionization after anti-Black narratives divided white and Black laborers.
• By 1970, union membership dropped dramatically after civil rights activism became associated with unions.
• The “Fight for 15” showed success by bridging racial divides to raise the minimum wage in several states.

5. Connecting Racism and Climate Change

Climate action is often presented as “anti-business,” but racial bias plays a major role in fueling white denialism. Conspiracy theories about environmental policies harming white workers have hindered progress on combating global warming.

Polls reveal stark racial divides when it comes to environmental concern. While 70% of Black Americans express urgency about the climate crisis, only 25% of white Americans feel the same. This divide is driven partly by white conservatives’ framing of climate efforts as benefiting minorities at the expense of white jobs.

Ignoring environmental damage doesn’t just harm communities of color; it risks the very planet on which we all live. Hurricanes, wildfires, and rising sea levels don’t distinguish between races. Collective coalitions, from Native-led protests at Standing Rock to grassroots Green New Deal campaigns, highlight the undeniable link between combating racism and building a sustainable future.

Examples

• White racial resentment rose against Obama-supported climate policies, slowing environmental legislation.
• Sacrifice zones like Black neighborhoods endure harmful pollution from industrial plants and waste dumps.
• Native-led protests at Standing Rock united diverse communities against harmful pipelines.

6. Segregation Hurts Everyone, Not Just Minorities

Racial segregation has been meticulously crafted over generations through policies like redlining and discriminatory housing. The consequence of this division isn’t limited to communities of color – white neighborhoods also suffer in more subtle ways.

Suburban zoning laws that reinforce segregation increase housing unaffordability for all middle- and working-class families. White children in segregated schools miss out on critical thinking skills and cultural diversity. As a result, both economic and social growth are stunted.

This separation fosters ignorance, fear, and mistrust between communities, which limits everyone’s opportunities. Segregation creates educational and economic systems that fail to serve an expanding, multicultural population.

Examples

• Jim Crow-era policies locked Black Americans out of wealth-building home ownership for generations.
• White children in segregated schools exhibit lower cultural intelligence and problem-solving skills.
• Exclusive zoning bans affordable housing options, driving up housing costs for everyone.

7. Acknowledge Race to Build Equity

Ignoring race under the guise of being “color blind” prevents us from redressing economic injustices caused by centuries of systemic racism. Intentional policies tailored to right past wrongs are the only way to create a fairer future.

Black and Latinx Americans disproportionately suffer from systems designed to exclude them, such as limited access to medical care or affordable housing. A targeted approach isn’t about punishing white Americans; it’s about ensuring everyone has the resources they need to succeed.

For example, policies could focus on the neighborhoods historically excluded by redlining practices, helping historically disadvantaged communities climb the economic ladder. Addressing these inequities lifts everyone, not just marginalized groups.

Examples

• Redlining maps could be used to identify which areas need first access to affordable mortgages.
• The coronavirus pandemic disproportionately impacted frontline workers in communities of color.
• Narrowing the racial wealth gap would grow the US economy by $8 trillion by 2050.

8. Immigrants and Integration Revive Communities

Immigration has the power to revitalize declining towns and cities. Lewiston, Maine, for example, experienced an economic renaissance thanks to immigrants who opened businesses and enriched cultural life.

Cross-racial initiatives like town barbecues and shared activism create unity instead of division. They allow communities to collectively tackle challenges like lack of healthcare or drug epidemics, gaining what McGhee calls “solidarity dividends.”

Embracing newcomers shows what’s possible when people recognize that the enemy isn’t their neighbors – it’s inequality itself. Everyone thrives in vibrant, connected communities.

Examples

• Lewiston welcomed immigrants from Somalia, fostering economic and social revival.
• Unity Barbecues highlight how diverse communities can collaborate and bridge divides.
• Statewide campaigns in Maine secured expanded healthcare and opioid reforms.

9. Reject Exclusionary Narratives for Collective Wins

The root cause of stagnation in the US isn’t competition between races; it’s how inequality benefits a select few at everyone’s expense. Recognizing this truth allows for meaningful change.

Politicians and corporations play on racial fears to maintain power. By dividing workers, limiting access to services, and ignoring environmental damage, they ensure wealth keeps flowing to a small elite. Cross-racial collaboration, however, can successfully undermine these practices.

The first step is rejecting zero-sum narratives. Instead of fearing collective gains, Americans of all backgrounds must embrace unity as a way to improve lives for all.

Examples

• Fox News amplifies narratives equating racial equity with loss for white Americans.
• Multiracial coalitions like the Green New Deal counteract elite-driven environmental harm.
• Solidarity dividends show that diverse communities can solve shared crises like climate change and healthcare.

Takeaways

1. Challenge zero-sum thinking by fostering cross-racial connections through local community events or discussions.
2. Support organizations committed to racial equality and economic justice, such as Color of Change or Faith in Action.
3. Advocate for public policies that explicitly address inequality, such as affordable housing or living-wage legislation, while educating others about their universal benefits.