Affirmative action policies and effects

William Jame's Pragmatic method is one of the foundational aspects of American philosophy and psychology. In principle, it deals with the establishment of truth, and the formulation of value judgements based on sound empiricial and rhetorical thought. Jmaes defines the pragmatic method as an attempt to "interpret each notion by tracing its respective practical consequences." Thus each question in both philosophy and truth should be put to the test based on the consequences each path leads to and its practical utility. In the following exercise I will examine the use of the pragmatic method in determining the value of affirmative action.

Affirmative action by definition gives a "helping hand" to traditionally abused and subjugated minorities in order for them to establish themselves within society. Affirmative action is most evident in two areas within American society, the workplace and the education system. Application of affirmative action in the workplace has translated to quota systems for large companies in order to have a certain percentage of minority employees, as well as the establishment of lower standards for the employment of particular minorities, principally African-Americans. In the education system, Affirmative action also takes the form of both quota systems and lower standards for admittance. African-American minorities for instance are given a lower standard for admittance into many universities in order to compensate them for traditional oppression. Affirmative action has become a hotly contested battleground for the American public, with both sides unwilling to compromise. An examination of Affirmative action through the lenses of the Pragmatic Method reveals interesting decision making calculus.

In observing Affirmative Action, two opposing hypothesis has to be formed, one in which affirmative action exists and the other in which it does not. In the first case, affirmative action does exist, and the consequences are observable through current social standards. Many African-Americans who would not have had an opportunity for better employment for a college education are able to receive it. Therefore, overall African-Americans are breaking their traditional chain of poverty and subjugation and entering mainstream society. Furthermore, on an educational and work environment standpoint, African-Americans who are given a "helping hand" as a result of affirmative action do not perform significantly worse than more qualified majority students. Which further shows that affirmative action merely reflects the provision of exposure for minority races. Another direct consequence of having Affirmative action is the introduction of minorities into a position of social and political power within the American landscape. More minorities are within government than ever before, and the overall gap between African-Americans and traditional majority populations has shrunk considerably within the past five years. The elevation of traditionally oppressed minorities also alleviates some of the historical burden placed on American society for their past abuse, in some ways this provides a sort of retrospective reparations for abused minorities. In general Affirmative action has changed the social landscape by allowing the entrance of formerly oppressed minorities to gain entrance into American mainstream society.

If on the other hand Affirmative Action did not exist, an entirely different set of circumstances would be true. Since traditionally oppressed minorities are by and large the worst off economically within our society, they will never have the resources to transform their chain of social oppression. This means that an entrenched cycle of poverty would continue to arise within American society, where the poorest sector would also ethnically reflect African-Americans in particular. Without resources to help themselves escape poverty, the minority population would become poorer and poorer, while the majority would become wealthier. The economic disparity and racial disparity will cause even greater estrangement between two social and racial classes. As a result, greater racial tension will build within this country, and greater alienation of traditionally oppressed minorities will occur. The racial hatred and angst on the part of the oppressed minority will fester because they will continue to be bitter over historical injustices and its perpetuation as a result of social and economic ostracism. In the end, America will have two classes of individuals divided by both racial barriers and economic division. If this is allowed to persist over a long period of time, racial tensions may result in such consequences as race related violence and riots such as the LA riots in the aftermath of the Rodney King beating.