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ECONOMY

GOVERNMENT & POLICY

Affirmative Action
By
WILL KENTON
Updated November 30, 2021

Reviewed by
CHARLES POTTERS

What Is Affirmative Action?

The term affirmative action refers to a policy aimed at increasing workplace or educational
opportunities for underrepresented parts of society. These programs are commonly
implemented by businesses and governments by taking individuals' race, sex, religion, or
national origin into account.
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Affirmative action focuses on demographics with historically low representation in

leadership, professional, and academic roles and is often considered a means of
countering discrimination against particular groups. [1]
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
Affirmative action seeks to overturn historical trends of discrimination against an
individual’s identity.
It provides assistance to groups that have historically been and continue to be
subjected to forms of discrimination.
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j Affirmative Action Definition

Policies often implement hiring quotas, provide grants and scholarships, and may
also deny government funding and contracts to institutions that fail to follow the
policy guidelines
Affirmative action now includes assistance for gender representation, people with
disabilities, and covered veterans.
The criticism of affirmative action includes high program costs, hiring fewer
qualified candidates, and a lack of historical progress in equal representation.

How Affirmative Action Works

Affirmative action is a government-backed policy that was developed to help
underrepresented groups get access to opportunities in academia, as well as the workforce
and government. These opportunities range from admissions to schools, professional
positions, and access to services like housing and financing. The main point of the policy
was to help diversify various parts of society. [1]
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The policy came to prominence in the United States in the 1960s as a way to promote equal
opportunity across various segments of society. The policy was developed to enforce the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, whichWholesale China
sought to eliminate discrimination. [2]

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Early implementations of affirmative action largely focused on breaking the continued

social segregation of minorities from institutions and opportunities. Despite legislation
that outlawed biased practices in the United States, tangible change in the status quo was
not immediate. [2]
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As noted above, affirmative action was primarily geared toward certain groups, including
racial minorities and other disadvantaged groups. Campaigns in more recent years have
expanded to make organizations and institutions more inclusive, pushing for greater
gender diversity. Newer policies are also aimed at providing more access to opportunities
for covered veterans and people with disabilities.

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Efforts to stimulate such change can take the form of assistance to increase the
opportunities available to underrepresented groups. This aid can include grants,
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scholarships, and other financial support earmarked to help those segments of the
population gain access to higher education.

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Hiring practices may be structured to require the inclusion of diverse candidates for job
openings. Government agencies may decide to mandate that companies and institutions
populate their ranks with a minimum percentage of qualified professionals from varying
ethnicities, genders, and cultures. Failure to meet such requirements could disqualify
institutions from receiving government funding or being able to compete for public
contracts.

Important: Many people confuse employment equity with affirmative action.
But there's a distinct difference between the two. Employment equity ensures
that all individuals are treated equally while affirmative action actually supports
those who have historically been denied opportunities.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Affirmative Action

The implementation and continued practice of affirmative action policies have drawn
strong support as well as staunch criticism.

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Advantages

One of the obvious benefits of implementing affirmative action policies is that it provides
opportunities to people who otherwise wouldn't have them. This includes access to
education for students who may be disadvantaged and employees who are normally
blocked from rising up on the corporate ladder.

Proponents of affirmative action say the effort must continue because of the low
percentages of diversity in positions of authority, representation in the media, and limited
acknowledgment of the achievements of underrepresented groups.

Disadvantages
Opponents of affirmative action frequently call these efforts a collective failure, citing the
tiny changes to the status quo after decades of effort as evidence of this. The cost of such
programs, coupled with a belief that affirmative action forces the populace to make
unwarranted accommodations, drives a significant part of the opposition.

Certain individuals cite that there is little to no bias in society, at least from their
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Ce ta d duals c te t at t e e s l ttle to o b as soc ety, at least o t e
perspective. In addition, they argue that affirmative action results in reverse

discrimination, which can often lead to qualified candidates being overlooked in favor of
hiring less qualified candidates that meet policy standards.

Pros
• Provides opportunities for minorities and people Cons
from disadvantaged groups • Costs to implement policies
• Diversifies society can be too high
• Leads to reverse
discrimination

Affirmative Action Statistics

Affirmative action is a very controversial topic and often leads to heated debates between
those who support it and people who feel it doesn't benefit society. But is there a way to
quantify how people feel and how it's working?

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According to a Gallup poll, more than half of Americans (61%) polled believe in affirmative
action policies. This level of support has increased since the last poll, where only 47% to
50% of individuals thought affirmative action was necessary. This is especially important
given the issues surrounding race and identity in the United States and elsewhere. [3]

Many Americans feel positive about diversity and feel comfortable in the makeup of their
communities, saying it positively impacts society as a whole. But there is some divide when
it comes to identifying race and ethnicity when it comes to hiring practices. In fact, about
74% of individuals feel that a candidate's racial or ethnic background shouldn't be
considered when it comes to hiring or promoting them. These practices should only be
based on, they say, someone's qualifications. [4]

What Is the Goal of Affirmative Action?

The goal of affirmative action is to open up opportunities to individuals and groups that
have historically been underrepresented or (in some cases, barred) from entering certain
parts of academia the government and the workforce. It also provides funding in the form
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parts of academia, the government, and the workforce. It also provides funding in the form
of grants and scholarships to these communities.
Policies were adopted to include those from different racial backgrounds and national
origins. The policy has since expanded to include gender, sexual orientation, and various
abilities.

What Has Been the Result of Affirmative Action Policies in Higher

Education?
Affirmative action policies have helped diversify higher education. When the policy was
first adopted, the student body at most higher academic institutions was primarily made
up of white individuals. But that's changed, leading to a more diverse network of students
across the country.

How Did Regents v. Bakke Change Affirmative Action Policies?

The Regents v. Bakke case changed affirmative action policies by striking down the use of
racial quotas. The case was presented by Allan Bakke, who claimed he was denied
admission to medical school at the University of California on two separate occasions
because he was white The Supreme Court ruled Bakke's favor saying racial quotas were
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4/18/22, 9:23 AM Affirmative Action Definition
because he was white. The Supreme Court ruled Bakke s favor, saying racial quotas were
unconstitutional.

Which U.S. President Was the First To Define and Use the Term
Affirmative Action?
President John F. Kennedy was the first president to use and define the term affirmative
action. He did so in 1961, telling federal contractors to take "affirmative action to ensure
that applicants are treated equally without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national
origin." [5]

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