The basic thesis of this book is that neither minorities nor whites benefit when incremental and participatory methods are used to desegregate schools. Rather, it argues, school desegregation can succeed only when rapid and extensive change is imposed by nonelected officials, at a centralized level, and without citizen involvement. Chapter 1 covers the relationship of racism and liberalism in American history and surveys prevailing notions about why racism exists and how it can be abolished. Using socioeconomic status (SES) data on blacks, Chapter 2 challenges the argument that racism and its consequences can be eradicated through conventional forms of political action. Chapter 3 includes a list of goals for desegregation and briefly discusses two notions of how social change can and should occur: incrementalism and popular control. Chapter 4 argues that incremental policy-making cannot promote the abolition of racism with reasonable promptness. Numerous examples of such policies (including time plans, busing, and voluntary desegregation plans) are cited. Chapter 4 assesses popular control and concludes that the (largely white) electorate cannot be counted on to mandate policies requiring racial balance. Chapter 5 argues that only rarely do citizen groups aid acceptance by whites of desegregation. Finally, Chapter 6 considers alternatives to previously attempted desegregation schemes. It asserts that radical change may be accomplished only through methods that are unpalatable to the ruling elite. (KH)