Affirmative Action

Moral and Political Arguments

Some critics of affirmative action, of course, openly want to maintain the subordinate position of the disadvantaged group. But many critics condemn the discriminatory and unfair policies of the past that have harmed the disadvantaged group and call for the elimination of such policies. To this end, they favor vigorous enforcement of anti-discrimination laws, prohibiting discrimination in such areas as employment, housing, public accommodations, and educational institutions. What they do not support, however, are policies that give preferences to the disadvantaged. To give advantages to anyone—even the previously disadvantaged—departs from the important moral principle of equal treatment. In the past, jobs were allocated on the basis of race, gender, or some other morally impermissible characteristic, rather than merit. Now, according to this view, jobs should be given out on the basis of merit alone. Employers should be “color-blind” (or “race-blind”) and “gender-blind”: That is, they should act as if they do not know the race or gender of the applicants. lust as it was wrong to pay attention to people's race or gender in order to discriminate against them, so it is wrong to be “color-conscious” or “gender-conscious” in order to help them.

Critics of affirmative action point out that discriminating in favor of The previously disadvantaged [Page 29]necessarily entails discriminating against those from advantaged groups, a form of reverse discrimination that is morally unacceptable. This is especially so given that any particular member of a disadvantaged group may not have personally experienced discrimination, and any particular member of an advantaged group may never have engaged in any act of discrimination.

Supporters of affirmative action, on the other hand, argue that while a color- and gender-blind society is an ultimate ideal, in the short run color- and gender-conscious policies are necessary and justified for remedying past and present discrimination. There is no moral equivalence, in this view, between discrimination intended to keep down some oppressed groups and the discrimination intended to help provide equality—to level the playing field—for these victims of past societal discrimination.

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