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| Summary: Should the use of positive discrimination be increased? |
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Author:James Acton ( United Kingdom )
James has a PhD from Cambridge, where he was Director of Debating, and coached the England Schools Debating Team on three occasions.
Created: Tuesday, October 03, 2000
Last Modified: Friday, April 17, 2009
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Positive discrimination is the selection of a candidate for a position on the grounds of race, sex or colour rather than merit alone. There are many ways this can be implemented. Some US police forces score all applicants and select between candidates of equal ability based on race. In the 1997 UK election Tony Blair created all-women shortlists in winnable seats. Some universities have quotas for candidates from ethnic minorities. The proposition can run the case in a number of ways. They could argue for legislation calling for the use of positive discrimination in the public sector or universities. Alternatively, for more of a challenge, they could argue that it is in the private sector’s own interest to introduce positive discrimination. |
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| Applicants from minority backgrounds have frequently had to surpass many more obstacles and difficulties than applicants from the majority. These obstacles might include, for example, poor schooling and poor training. Positive discrimination therefore levels the playing field. It would ideal if such measures were not necessary and everyone was presented with the same opportunities early on in life, but given such inequalities do exist this action is necessary. |
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All discrimination is negative. It is always wrong to select on any basis other than merit and ability. Positive discrimination leads to able applicants being unfairly passed over. |
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| Such a policy would be good for the economic welfare of the country in the short term since it unlocks potential that would otherwise be unrealised. Minority applicants are just as skilled as those from the majority but that talent is frequently untapped due to lack of opportunity. Moreover, we must also recognise that every social groups has its own unique skills and talents and that we could gain enormously by using them more. |
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Positive discrimination leads to less able applicants filling positions. Employers must have the flexibility to employ the best candidates as they see fit in order to ensure efficiency and productivity. |
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| Minority applicants who were successful would become role models for future generations. This would be good for the minority and good for the economic welfare of the country since it would facilitate the development of bright, able youngsters from minority backgrounds. |
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Positive discrimination undermines the achievements of minority applicants who are accepted on their own merits; it is patronising and suggests they cannot be employed on merit alone. It will also create the impression that a minority applicant was successful only because of positive discrimination. In addition, minorities themselves see positive discrimination as being condescending. It is rarely advocated by the minorities themselves but almost always by the majority out of a misguided sense of guilt. It is nothing more than tokenism. |
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| There are currently those in the workforce who are racist and sexist. By bringing more minority applicants into the workplace, in an environment in which everyone works as part of a team, we can help alleviate such bigoted attitudes. |
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he introduction of positive discrimination would lead to a backlash against minorities. It would cause resentment in those who were turned away and this would be directed against those who were accepted. This will cause more divisions in the workplace. These problems have lead many US universities (e.g. California) to stop positive discriminations programs. |
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| In any multicultural society the ideal for which we should strive is that the mix of races and sex in any particular job or position is the same as it is in the wider population. At present the under-representation of minorities and women in certain fields (e.g. the police force and judiciary) leads to perceptions of institutional racism and sexism, undermining their credibility. It is generally agreed that the extra women in the UK parliament due to Blair’s all-women shortlists have done nothing but good, bringing fresh ideas to a very traditionalist atmosphere and improving its image. |
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Another of our cultural ideals is that our society should be a meritocracy, in which the only criterion for selection is ability. The proposition’s aim of improving representation in high profile jobs and positions is indeed worthy but we should not sacrifice the meritocratic principle for it. Instead we should try to bring it about by giving everyone better access to education. |
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| By getting minority candidates into top jobs now, they will able to manipulate the system ‘from the inside’ to make it fairer for all. |
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There is at the moment a strong move in higher education to broaden access. The undergraduate population is becoming more culturally diverse all the time. This will lead to increased diversity in senior positions as these undergraduates enter the job market. Although the pace of change is not as fast as it might be there is change and it is in the right direction. Positive discrimination could in fact damage this trend because of the resentment it will cause. Instead we are better off improving access to education for all. |
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| | This house believes in positive discrimination
This house believes race does matter
This house would act affirmatively
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Debatabase
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Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 12:08 pm
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Author: James Acton
James Acton is currently studying for a physics PhD at Cambridge. He is a worlds quarter finalists and currently coaches debating at the university.
Created: Tuesday, October 03, 2000
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Positive discrimination is the selection of a candidate for a position on the grounds of race, sex or colour rather than merit alone. There are many ways this can be implemented. Some US police forces score all applicants and select between candidates of equal ability based on race. In the 1997 UK election Tony Blair created all-women shortlists in winnable seats. Some universities have quotas for candidates from ethnic minorities. The proposition can run the case in a number of ways. They could argue for legislation calling for the use of positive discrimination in the public sector or universities. Alternatively, for more of a challenge, they could argue that it is in the private sector’s own interest to introduce positive discrimination. |
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