Affirmative action
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In its crudest forms, affirmative action would mean giving some sort of benefit to a person of a historically oppressed group over that of a historically [[Privilege|advantaged]] group, all other things being [[equality|equal]]. Employers using racial quotas are an example of this. | In its crudest forms, affirmative action would mean giving some sort of benefit to a person of a historically oppressed group over that of a historically [[Privilege|advantaged]] group, all other things being [[equality|equal]]. Employers using racial quotas are an example of this. | ||
| − | Affirmative action was seen as a good thing when it was first started, as there was no way for most [[black people|blacks]] or [[women]] to compete with white males on an even footing, due to the inability of blacks and women to get [[job]]s or educational opportunities solely open to white males. In essence, if a black person or a woman was able to compete with a white man for a job, then it was obvious that they had worked harder and against more obstacles than the white man, and were thus a better candidate. | + | Affirmative action was seen as a good thing when it was first started,{{fact}} as there was no way for most [[black people|blacks]] or [[women]] to compete with white males on an even footing, due to the inability of blacks and women to get [[job]]s or educational opportunities solely open to white males. In essence, if a black person or a woman was able to compete with a white man for a job, then it was obvious that they had worked harder and against more obstacles than the white man, and were thus a better candidate. |
==Criticism== | ==Criticism== | ||
Revision as of 17:05, 8 June 2014
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Affirmative action refers to policies that attempt to make up for historic or continuing oppression, particularly racism and sexism, and for other circumstances which caused a minority to be disadvantaged, such as disabilities. A more neutral term for it might be minority- or underclass-preferential selection/hiring. These policies are very prevalent in the United States, due to its history of slavery and difficulty in getting over it.
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Implementation
In its crudest forms, affirmative action would mean giving some sort of benefit to a person of a historically oppressed group over that of a historically advantaged group, all other things being equal. Employers using racial quotas are an example of this.
Affirmative action was seen as a good thing when it was first started,[citation needed] as there was no way for most blacks or women to compete with white males on an even footing, due to the inability of blacks and women to get jobs or educational opportunities solely open to white males. In essence, if a black person or a woman was able to compete with a white man for a job, then it was obvious that they had worked harder and against more obstacles than the white man, and were thus a better candidate.
Criticism
It has come under attack in modern times for being a form of reverse bias against whites, males, and white males, with many people stating that advantages should only be given on the basis of social class (poor neighborhoods, for instance), rather than race or gender, and that only monetary assistance, rather than quotas or the like, should be used (due to the fact that not all minorities or women are poor or without advantage, and not all white males are rich or even middle class). Nonetheless, the outcome has not been positive in states that have banned affirmative action policies.[1]
Ironically, white people never had a problem with it when it favoured them.[2]
Straw man criticism
A good deal of opposition to affirmative action is based on the misconception that it imposes hard quotas that require employers to hire unqualified minorities. As in, affirmative action requires candidates from a majority group to be passed over in favour of any and all minorities. This is false and the Supreme Court has ruled against any policies doing so. Employers simply need only to make a good faith attempt to hire qualified minorities, by, for example, choosing the minority candidate as a tie-breaker decision or at the very least not being a racist, sexist, xenophobic, homophobic bigot in the hiring process (so in principle not that difficult). Affirmative action laws vary widely by state and many of the programs are enforced voluntarily.[3]