The Ethics of Affirmative Action – the concept of ethics play an important role
Running header: AFFIRMATIVE ACTION1The Ethics of Affirmative ActionIn the domain of public policies, organizational policies, social and economic policies,the concept of ethics play an important role. Unethical policies have the potential to put theentire objective of the policy at stake enraging the population for which the policy has beentargeted. Hence, it is always needed to evaluate a policy from the ethical perspectives toensure that the outcome of the policy is positive and the policy has met its desire goals. Thepolicy of Affirmative action is such a policy which, from the ethical perspective, should beconsidered as a positive one. The policy of Affirmative action is thoroughly ethical as it is aduty on the part of the government to help those who, due to myriads of social and politicalreasons, have been, in the past, deprived of their legitimate rights, and it is also ethicalbecause its implementation has brought about consequences which have brought about thegreatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people.Affirmative action “is a federal agenda initiated in the 1960s that’s designed tocounteract historic discrimination faced by ethnic minorities, women and otherunderrepresented groups. To foster diversity and compensate for ht ways such groups havehistorically been excluded, institutions with affirmative action programs prioritize theinclusion of minority groups in the employment, education and government sectors, amongothers” (Nittle, n.d.). The very agenda seems ethical and moral and if judged from thedeontological perspective the ethical quality of the agenda is bound to seem morepronounced. The ethical theory of deontology (dutybased ethics) is, to some extent, simpleto understand. Deontology (dutybased) ethics “are concerned with what people do, not withthe consequences of their actions” (“Dutybased ethics”, n.d.). In simpler terms,deontological ethical theories suggest that people should do whatever is right to do andpeople should refrain from doing things which are not right to do. So, judging the policy ofRunning header: AFFIRMATIVE ACTION2Affirmative action from the deontological perspective it must be said that it is ethical becausegovernment should render efforts to wipe out discrimination from the society and from everyother realms belonging to the political and economic spheres. In the past the colored peoplehave faced undue discriminations. After emancipation the blacks did face oppressions,segregation, and discriminations in its every form and these have already pushed the blacksbackward in terms of social and economic development. It is the duty of the government toformulate policies to lessen the wide gap that has been created by the discriminatorymeasures of the past and hence, it is good for the government to support and enhance policieslike Affirmative action which have the potential to provide the backward groups in thesociety including women and people with disabilities the opportunities to prosper in life andsecure equal footing with those who had been considered unduly superior on the basis ofrace, ethnicity, and skin color. Also, it must be noted that it is the duty of the government toensure that women are equally represented in the workforce. And so it is quite rational on thepart of the government to indulge in implementing the policy of Affirmative action programswhich include actionoriented programs to include women who, in the past, had been undulydiscriminated. In this regard it should be noted that, “If women and minorities are not beingemployed at a rate to be expected given their availability in the relevant labor pool, thecontractor’s affirmative action program includes specific practical steps designed to addressthis underutilization” (“What is An Affirmative Action Plan?”, n.d.).Affirmative action is an ethical policy not only because it is the right thing to do butalso because its consequences are also justified and beneficial for the greater number ofpeople including those who are disabled, economically and socially background and thosewho have always been deprived of their rights due to belonging to the gender called female.Judging from the utilitarian perspective, the ethical nature of the policy of Affirmative actionRunning header: AFFIRMATIVE ACTION3can be ascertained. Utilitarianism “is mainly characterized by two elements: happiness andconsequentialism. Utilitarian happiness is the biggest happiness which (supposedly) everyhuman being looks for. In utilitarianism everything useful to happiness is good. Therefore,the name of the doctrine is utilitarianism, based on the principle of utility. Utility is found ineverything which contributes to the happiness of every rational being” (“UTILITARIANPHILOSOPHY”, n.d.). So, judging the policy of Affirmative action from the utilitarianperspective it can be said that it is an ethical policy as it promotes equality which is the desireof every human being in every society. Also, in this regard it should be noted that, “Theemphasis is on opportunity: affirmative action programs are meant to break down barriers,both visible and invisible, to level the playing field, and to make sure everyone is given anequal break. They are not meant to guarantee equal results – but instead proceed on thecommonsense notion that if equality of opportunity were a reality, African Americans,women, people with disabilities and other groups facing discrimination would be fairlyrepresented in the nation’s work force and educational institutions” (“Affirmative Action”,n.d.). To achieve equality is one of the basic instincts of every human being. Moreover,equality is the essence of democracy. So, if the United States’ government is willing toprovide equality to all its citizens through the implementation of the policy of Affirmativeaction then that should also be considered as a moral and ethical step indeed as it is meant forthe ensuring the happiness for the greatest number of people including women, minorities,and people with disabilities.In conclusion, the policy of Affirmative action is such a policy which, from the ethicalperspective, should be considered as a positive one. The policy of Affirmative action isthoroughly ethical as it is a duty on the part of the government to help those who, due tomyriads of social and political reasons, have been, in the past, deprived of their legitimateRunning header: AFFIRMATIVE ACTION4rights, and it is also ethical because its implementation has brought about consequenceswhich have brought about the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people.(1,029 words)ReferencesAffirmative Action (n.d.). CIVIL RIGHTS 101. Retrieved July 20, 2015, fromhttp://www.civilrights.org/resources/civilrights101/affirmaction.htmlRunning header: AFFIRMATIVE ACTION5Dutybased ethics (n.d.). Ethics guide. BBC. Retrieved July 20, 2015, fromhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/introduction/duty_1.shtmlNittle, N.K. (n.d.). What Is Affirmative Action? About news. Retrieved July 20, 2015, fromhttp://racerelations.about.com/od/diversitymatters/g/WhatIsAffirmativeAction.htmUTILITARIAN PHILOSOPHY (n.d.). Retrieved July 20, 2015, fromhttp://utilitarianphilosophy.com/definition.eng.htmlWhat is An Affirmative Action Plan? (n.d.). Diversity & Inclusion. Retrieved July 20, 2015,from http://hrweb.mit.edu/diversity/affirmativeactionplanadmins/whatisanaaplan
