Progressivism 121ThePhilosophicRootsof Government-SponsoredEugenics
Thehiddenhistoryof governisteugenicsalsouncoversthe darkunderbellyof mini-
mumwagelegislation.In BookTwo,we wentoverhowminimum-wagelegislationcon-
tributesto unemployment.It particularlycontributesto the unemploymentof young,
unskilledmembersof racialminorities.Someconservativesawareof this effectof mini-
mum-wagelegislationpresumethat the contributionto the unemploymentrate countsas
an “unintendedconsequence” of suchregulation.In reality,the disemploymentof racial
minoritieswasan intendedconsequenceof the Progressiveswhopassedthe earliest
minimumwagelawsat the turnof the twentiethcentury.Theoriginalcraftersof U.S.
minimumwagelawshadopenlystatedtheirknowledgethattheirlegislationwould
throwunskilled,low-income,racialminoritymembersout of work.Theyjustifiedthese
consequenceson explicitlyeugenicistand racialistgrounds.
A casein pointresidesin JohnR. Commons,a self-described“socialist” economistof
the Universityof Wisconsin^173 anda protégé of RichardT. Ely’s.^174 RecallthatAmerican
ThoughthailedCommonsas a participantin whatbeganas a backlashagainstSumner
and eventuallybecamea “renaissancein Americansocialthought.. .”^175 Thereare vari-
ous othersourceslistingCommons’ credentialsas a luminaryof progressivism.Com-
monshas beeninductedintothe LaborHallof Fame.TheBureauof LaborStatistics’
websitecontainsan essayby WisconsiniteindustrialrelationsprofessorJackBarbashthat
hailsCommonsas a “progressive” anda “pioneerof laboreconomics.”^176 Onehistorian
proclaims,“Morethanany othereconomist,” Commons“wasresponsiblefor the conver-
sionintopublicpolicyof reformproposalsdesignedto alleviatedefectsin the industrial
system.”^177 R. LaurenceMoorepraises“JohnR. CommonsandRichardT. Ely” for their
questto “seekto understandthe mechanismof socialbehaviorandorganizationand
derivesocialthoughtfroma descriptionof humannatureas it actuallyexisted,” in
contrastto free-marketerswhom,Mooreimplies,carednothingfor facts.^178
Whatgoesunmentionedis the darksideof Commons’s agenda.In 1890Commons
estimatedthat5.5 percentof whitesin the USAweregenetically“defective” andthat 2
percentof whitesoughtto be forciblysegregatedfromthe restby law.^179 Thelaborite
wrotein 1907thatwhenmultipleethnicitiescompetefor employment,it is “competition
of standardsof living.The reasonthe Chinamanor the Italiancan savethreedays’ wages
is becausewageshavebeenpreviouslyfixedby the greaternecessitiesof the moread-
vancedraces.But competitionhas no respectfor superiorraces.Theracewithlowest
necessitiesdisplacesothers.” Commonsthereuponconcludedthat“the Jewishsweat-
shopis the tragicpenaltypaidby thatambitiousrace.” As for blacks,Commonsjudged
thattheywereinherentlyincompetentandthatnothingcouldpreparethemfor hard
workexceptfor theirhavingbeenenslavedthroughoutpriorcenturies.In “the entire
circuitof the globe,” Commonsstated,“thoseraceswhichhavedevelopedundera tropi-
cal sun are foundtoo indolentandfickle... The negrocouldnot possiblyhavefounda
placein Americanindustry” if he arrivedin this nation“as a free man.... if suchracesare
to adoptthat industriouslife whichis a secondnatureto racesof the temperatezones,it is
onlythroughsomeformof compulsion.”^180 Withthesepretexts,Commonssupportedthe
minimumwage,as thatwouldprecludeunskilledblackworkersandEasternEuropean
immigrantsfromunderbiddingnative-bornwhitesseekingemployment.Thissentiment
also informedCommons’s supportfor the Davis-BaconAct,as less-skilledminoritywork-
ers wouldbe pricedout of the marketif employerswererequiredto payout higher
prevailingwages.^181 ThissameCommonsservedas an adviserto RobertM. Lafollette,
WoodrowWilson,and TheodoreRoosevelt.^182
Similararguments aboutlaborlawcomefromRoyalMeeker,whoservedas U.S.
Commissionerof LaborunderPresidentWoodrowWilson.“It is muchbetterto enacta