Essay On The Necessity Of Affirmative Action

For many, the term affirmative action represents an unnecessary treatment of the minority of the population to the detriment of a deserving majority and to themselves. Perhaps one of the most insidious arguments of this view is that minority individuals, specifically blacks, will not be able to achieve or keep up with their white contemporaries when placed in the same situation by affirmative action. For example, professor Richard H. Sander argue that minorities admitted to higher institutions through affirmative action will “struggle academically, receive mediocre or poor grades” due to attending “schools that are simply too difficult for them” (“Affirmative Action” 128). Such an argument may be statistically correct, but it undermines the myriad of ways in which one might measure success and benefit. Additionally, as mentioned in the essay, it does not consider the mere accomplishment of reaching such a level of education, which even many in the majority of the population might not achieve.
While the policy of affirmative action may seem like an extremely flawed system, one must consider that it has the almost impossible function of helping to rectify the effects of centuries worth of oppression. As almost everyone will acknowledge, blacks subjected to legal slavery for over two centuries. Yet, as the article argues, these injustices remain long beyond that period as the descendants “have lost out in terms of inherited financial wealth, access to education, and access to human capital (e.g., friends or relatives who can convey valuable information)” (“Affirmative Action” 84). Such a list highlights the continued disadvantage faced by these minorities, despite their constitutional legal equality. By instituting a system that helps some to decrease the deficit in these categorizes, supporters of affirmative action slowly work to rectify less obvious social and economic oppression, a task that is impossible and riddled with problems.
Unfortunately, due to this situation, there does not seem to be a more plausible way to ensure diversity without these race or class based affirmative action policies. As mentioned in the end of the chapter, good solution would be equal universal education regardless of race but this solution is an impossibility, given the mere financial cost of such a system (“Affirmative Action” 146). Additionally, it would require a correction of the home financial circumstances that might prevent students from even attending such a school. Such a consideration reveals a cycle of issues preventing total equality. At this time, the best solution lies in affirmative action, which at least allows for the chance of minority representation in major institutions.

Works Cited

“Affirmative Action Policy Debate.” n.d. Print. 22 Feb. 2015.