Topics Justice

Question Are affirmative action programs ever necessary or just? While the admirable goal of these programs is to boost equality (or equal opportunity) don't they cause definite lowering of standards (compared to a pure meritocracy)? Further, isn't there also resentment of the non-preferred group to be dealt with? Finally, how long should such programs be kept running?

Accepted:
November 8, 2005

Comments

Affirmative action programs can be morally acceptable or even required when they benefit a group that is prevented from competing on fair terms. Consider a group that had much inferior access to schooling and therefore did not have a fair chance of attaining the educational achievements that would make them competitive in their candidacy for a college or job. By giving members of this group a break, we are in one sense lowering standards: Lower-scoring candidates are chosen over higher-scoring ones. But in terms of expected performance, we may not be lowering standards at all: A somewhat lower score achieved by a poorly educated person may indicate greater brightness and promise than a somewhat higher score achieved by someone who had the opportunity of attending top schools. Of course, taking educational background into account in this way may engender resentment. But insofar as such resentment derives from a perception of injustice, it may disappear once the rationale for such affirmative action is understood. If it is not unjust that family privilege fails to buy one an advantage over other, more promising (but much less well-educated) candidates, then why should one resent it?

How long should such programs be kept running? In the case described above, affirmative action is justified by appeal to excessive inequalities in access to schooling. Such large inequalities can and should be abolished -- for instance by ensuring that roughly equal amounts per pupil are expended in all of a country's schools. (In the US, this might require modification of a funding regime that relies on revenues from local property taxes, which may vary widely from one location to another.) Until these large inequalities are abolished, the justification of affirmative action remains intact.