Affirmative Action: Pros and Cons

Understanding the Principles of Affirmative Action

In recent years, we have relied upon the government to solve a great many social issues. One area in which the government has played a key role is that of employment. In order to have diversity in a workplace, we utilize affirmative action, a policy. In this paper, I will review the theory behind the cultural and labor opportunity cost of affirmative action. Talking about the positive and negative aspects, I will analyze different practical and theoretical views.

"Affirmative action" was coined in 1961 and is now practiced nationwide. It promotes employment and advancement for minority groups and females, aiming for representation in various areas including workforce, education, and public service.

The Pros of Affirmative Action

Affirmative action promotes racial balance in the workforce and changes societal perceptions of minorities by increasing their representation. It helps to give qualified individuals from different racial groups appropriate positions of authority and breaks down stereotypes that lead to discrimination. Success experiences reduce discrimination.

Third, according to some, affirmative action is a problem. However, while affirmative action may result in fewer opportunities remaining for certain groups in the areas covered by such programs, those affected would have considerable difficulty arguing that the overall percentages of available jobs were insufficient to permit them to satisfy their employment goals. The presence of employment goals for minorities as well as females, goals that others have no moral, legal, extralegal, or even a prudential right to achieve exceptably if wedded to an agreement such as an affirmative action program that might call for such goals, provides an incentive for employers to safeguard positions against further erosion.

The Cons of Affirmative Action

Affirmative action does not eliminate discrimination or improve the circumstances of most minority groups. It failed to recompense those affected by segregation and discrimination, and it does not improve the economic and educational structure for minorities. Critics argue that affirmative action encourages reverse discrimination by favoring minorities over the majority. This view sees affirmative action as demeaning, as beneficiaries are given opportunities based on their race rather than their ability. Fairness demands equal treatment regardless of race.

Debates and Controversies Surrounding Affirmative Action

Affirmative action is a subject of continuing controversy and debate among many today. The idea of applying affirmative action to particular groups of people, including proponents and opponents of the policy, may have undergone some alteration over time. The present paper examines the major components of these changes. It provides a brief history of affirmative action, its merits, describes its drawbacks, and presents alternative views of the policy, and concentrates on questions related to current programs and plans. The paper reports on this more recent disagreement and controversy, including the associated legal and political aspects, and also discusses some of the main lines of evidence. These different viewpoints have become more homogeneous, and there is, nonetheless, less consensus than ever over the applicability of contemporary affirmative action programs.

This research identifies biases potentially engendered in studies of affirmative action intended to measure the impact of recruitment policies on new hires. But the main objective of this investigation is not to resolve this controversy by providing a cleverly structured analysis that avoids or eliminates these problems. Answers to specific questions about the proportional success of affirmative action programs potentially are derived from the relations as postulated within a simple model of job recruitment policies, and augmented on a unique field experiment of the affirmative action policy of one public employer. Given the controversy surrounding many elements of the subject of affirmative action, it is essential to report this study's results to inform public debates and to use research to move these debates forward.

Final Thoughts and Prospective Directions

This book provides information on affirmative action, the impact on public institutions, diversity in undergraduate colleges, and workforce issues. Efforts have been made to support diversity in education. Changes are incremental but necessary. Benefits increase over time with more diverse students and postgraduate role models.