Reparations Movement Faces Opposition in Progressive California: Majority of Voters Reject Cash Payments

Reparations movement hits speed bump in progressive state: ‘A lot of public education needs to be done’

A UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS) poll found that 59% of California voters oppose cash payments to the descendants of enslaved people, dealing a blow to the fight for reparations in the state.

Only 28% of voters supported the idea of cash reparations, with 44% strongly opposed.

Reparations policies do not enjoy majority support, especially when it comes to cash reparations, As stated by political science professor Jesse Rhodes.

Rhodes suggests that advocates of reparations need to help their fellow citizens understand how these policies can be a solution to an ongoing issue and not just a historical one.

Reparations movement hits speed bump in progressive state: ‘A lot of public education needs to be done’

A recent poll conducted by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS) reveals that a majority of California voters are opposed to cash reparations for the descendants of enslaved people. The poll found that 59% of voters oppose cash payments, with 44% strongly opposed. Only 28% of voters supported the idea. This poll serves as a setback for the fight for reparations in California, a state known for its progressive values.

Understanding the lack of support for reparations

Political science professor Jesse Rhodes explains that the lack of support for reparations, especially in the form of cash payments, is not surprising. Rhodes, who helps conduct national surveys of public opinion, states that there is a tendency to assume that more progressive states would have greater support for reparations. However, the baseline of support for reparations is not particularly high. Rhodes suggests that advocates of reparations need to provide public education to help citizens understand that these policies are a solution to an ongoing issue, rather than just a historical one.

Overcoming the zero-sum perception

Rhodes emphasizes the importance of framing reparations as an investment with positive spillover benefits for all Americans, rather than a transfer from one group to another. When policies are seen as a zero-sum conflict, where some groups gain and others lose, adoption becomes more difficult. However, when people understand the broader benefits of reparations, they become more open to the idea. Advocates of reparations need to help their fellow citizens envision how these policies can benefit society as a whole.

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