cess. Rather, cultural values emerge from specific social circumstances and life chances and reflect one's class and racial position" (Wilson 14). Conservatives believe that the problem exists with shortcomings in the group values and competitiveness of the disadvantaged population. Since the 1960s, the liberal perspective has lost its influence, allowing the conservative view to prevail. According to Wilson, liberals need to refocus their perspective in order to regain influence. It is no longer enough just to react to conservative debate. The first step involves accurately assessing the causes of the increase in the black underclass population.
Wilson believes that the increase in the black underclass is related to hardship caused by basic economic changes in the inner city. The occurrence of structural economic changes such as the shift from high-paying manufacturing jobs to low-paying service jobs, technological innovations, and the exodus of manufacturing industries exerted a more profound effect on nonwhites than on whites. The black underclass found it particularly hard to adjust to the new economic realities. Central cities became administrative centers instead of industrial centers. Job gains were made in positions requiring highly skilled, highly educated workers. Job losses involved positions requiring lower skill and educational requirements (Wilson 39). Because the black underclass is concentrated in central cities, the effect of this economic dislocation proved devastating.
Wilson acknowledges that although the existence of the black underclass is not race-related, race is an exacerbating factor. In comparing impoverished whites with impoverished blacks, Wilson theorizes that the disporportionate number of poor blacks results from, "the relatively superior ec
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