2020年经济学人 四十亩地和一头骡子(2)（在线收听）

Other approaches lead to much bigger sums. One calculates the difference between what slaves were given by way of maintenance, and what free workers were paid.

其他方法的赔偿金额更大。一种方法是计算奴隶维持生活的所需与自由工人工资之间的差价。

An estimate puts that at roughly $4trn in today's money (19% of GDP),

根据现在的钱计算，预计需要约4万亿美元（占GDP的19%），

once you account for the financial returns that could have been made if the money had been paid on time.

如果算上按时支付这笔钱可能带来的经济回报的话。

But some argue that slaves held down the wages of free workers, meaning that the true value of slaves' lost wages is higher.

但一些人认为，奴隶压低了自由工人的工资，这意味着奴隶失去的工资的真正价值更高。

Mr Darity and Ms Mullen say that the difference in mean net wealth between white and black households ($795,000 in 2016)

Darity先生和Mullen女士表示，白人和黑人家庭之间平均净资产的差距（2016年为795000美元）

is the "most robust indicator of the cumulative economic effects of white supremacy". That points to reparations of nearly $8trn, or 37% of GDP.

是“白人至上主义累积经济效应最有力的指标”。这意味着将近8万亿美元的赔款，相当于GDP的37%。

(The authors suggest that this should be partly financed by printing money, something that will make most wonks queasy.)

（作者建议，这部分资金应该通过印钞票来筹集，而这将使大多数学院派们感到不安。）

Another area of disagreement concerns the form that reparations should take.

分歧的另一个方面涉及应采取的赔偿形式。

Mr Darity and Ms Mullen argue that for "both symbolic and substantive reasons, an effective programme of restitution must include direct payments".

Darity先生和Mullen女士认为，“从象征和实质性原因来看，有效的赔偿方案必须包括直接赔款”。

But cash transfers may do less to reduce inequality than their supporters hope.

但汇款对减少不平等的作用可能没有其支持者所希望的那么大。

Research on inheritances, for instance, suggests that most heirs consume their windfall within a few years (purchases of cars are especially popular).

例如，遗产研究表明，大分部继承者会在几年内花光他们的这笔意外之财（买车尤为受欢迎）。

A sizeable part of the income gap between black and white Americans reflects differences in education levels; big one-off payments alone cannot alter that.

美国黑人和白人之间的收入差距很大一部分反映了教育水平的差异；单靠一次性的支付无法改变这一点。

And research by Mr Darity and Dania Francis of the University of Massachusetts Boston finds that

Darity和马萨诸塞大学波士顿分校的Dania Francis的研究发现

reparation payments could increase non-black incomes relative to black ones, if the spending thus facilitated flowed largely to non-black-owned firms.

如果由此促成的支出大部分流向了非黑人所有的公司，那么相对于黑人群体，赔款会增加非黑人群体的收入。

"Our paper points to the need to improve the infrastructure of black-owned businesses and banking

“我们的论文指出有必要改善黑人公司和银行业的基础设施建设，

so that dollars from reparations can flow into black communities," says Ms Francis.

这样赔款才能流向黑人社区，”Francis女士说到。

To this end, some economists argue that reparations should fund training and education programmes, or subsidise business lending.

为此，一些经济学家认为赔款应该用于培训和教育项目，或是补贴企业贷款。

Others point to "baby bonds", which would be targeted at poor children and help them pay for university or to start up a business.

一些人则指向“小额债券”，以贫困家庭的孩子为目标，帮助他们支付大学学费或创业。

Naomi Zewde of the City University of New York finds that baby bonds could substantially reduce racial wealth gaps among young people.

纽约市立大学的Naomi Zewde发现，小额债券可以从实质上减少年轻人之间的种族财富差距。

Reparation payments could be spent in other ways.

赔款可以用在其他方面。

Money paid out to Japanese exinternees has been used to fund academic chairs and historical archives.

支付给前日本战俘的钱被用来资助学术讲座和历史档案。

Reparations from Germany pay for food and medicine for Holocaust survivors.

从德国获得的赔款用于为大屠杀幸存者支付食物和药品。

But before America can widen support for reparations, it will have to debate what works.

但在美国可以扩大对赔款的支持之前，它将不得不讨论什么是有效的。