Summing Up (John Speaking)
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We also went beyond the court case to discuss some other issues:

• We discussed some of the causes of social inequality. Fred stressed the culture of poverty. John and I stressed the broader social context including economic factors. Malik raised the issue of stigma.
  

• We asked whether stigma is a fundamental cause of economic and other substantive inequalities? I suggested that it isn't and put the stress on factors like investment and unemployment. Malik and Vera argued that it is, because, they say, our ideas determine how we act toward people.
  

• One of our last issues was whether liberal society can still make major progress against the problems of racism and sexism. Because I think that the economic factors are more fundamental, I think that it can. I would like to see public service employment programs designed to reduce unemployment, for example. Malik and Vera believe that stigma must be eliminated first. As a result, they believe that liberalism has reached its limits in court decisions like the one we have been talking about.

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