Difference between revisions of "Affirmative action"

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However, it has come under attack in modern times for being a form of [[Reverse racism|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).  Some states have since banned affirmative action policies.<ref>Most notably, [[Michigan]], at their State University undergraduate level.</ref>
 
However, it has come under attack in modern times for being a form of [[Reverse racism|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).  Some states have since banned affirmative action policies.<ref>Most notably, [[Michigan]], at their State University undergraduate level.</ref>
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Most interestingly, its biggest [[Clarence Thomas|opponent]] on the Supreme Court is also one of the most visible beneficiaries.
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==

Revision as of 06:28, 5 October 2010

Affirmative action is a term coined to describe policies designed to make up for historic oppressions, particularly racism and sexism, and for other circumstances which cause a minority to be disadvantaged, such as disabilities. These policies are most prevalent in the United States, due to its history of slavery and difficulty in getting over it.

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, 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 the jobs or educational opportunities 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.

However, 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). Some states have since banned affirmative action policies.[1]

Most interestingly, its biggest opponent on the Supreme Court is also one of the most visible beneficiaries.

See also

Footnotes

  1. Most notably, Michigan, at their State University undergraduate level.