Arguments Against Affirmative Action

Diversity was born from division. Affirmative Action promotes both diversity and equality by allowing underrepresented groups the opportunity to obtain higher education and occupations. These policies ensure that the institution’s community is diverse in both people and perspectives, which can lead to the deconstruction of stereotypes through interactions with people of different nationalities. Affirmative action specializes on aiding disadvantaged groups as throughout history, minorities were enslaved, impoverished, systematically oppressed, stripped of their individual rights and this led to the underrepresentation of these groups in higher institutions. Affirmative action gives these groups the opportunity to better themselves and promotes

Instead of placing emphasis on specific groups, affirmative action should work to make sure that it is fair for all. Affirmative action does not always promote institutions, accepting less qualified candidates can lead less work output or lower test scores, leaving the institution worse for wear. Lao-Tzu in Thoughts from the Tao-te Ching stated that through “overesteem[ing] great men, people become powerless” (24) and “Whoever relies on the Tao in governing men doesn’t try to force issues”(26). By this Lao-Tzu claimed that by regarding people too highly, the people will not take initiative and that the true way to govern is to not press issues upon the people. Affirmative action can lead to unqualified candidates receiving positions which may overwhelm them and hinder their and ultimately the institution’s performance. Affirmative action is instilled by the government in an attempt to make institutions more diverse, however, it can do more harm than good. If the government allowed the institutions to make their own decisions about how to handle diversity, they would still see the diversification of the community that they desire but the institution would not have to