Racial and Ethnic politics – 15 markers
Why, and to what extent, does the Republican Party oppose affirmative action?
• Meritocracy should be a priority
o Conservatives believe in American exceptionalism, and the ideal of the American
Dream – that hard work creates prosperity
o They see affirmative action as disincentivising hard work and placing hard-working
citizens who aren’t minorities at an unfair disadvantage
o Affirmative action – much like many Democratic policies – is seen to promote a
dependency culture in Republican eyes
o “Merit, ability, aptitude and results should be the factors that determine advancement
in our society” – 2012 Republican National Committee
• Government intervention should be class based, not race based
o Republicans argue there are inequalities in society irrespective or gender or race,
and these should be tackled through neutral programmes that target whole classes,
not specifically races
o It is therefore unfair to use race as a deciding factor
• Reverse discrimination is still racial discrimination
o Conservative Chief Justice Roberts – “the best way to stop discriminating based on
race is to stop discriminating based on race”
o The best way to eradicate a society sectionalised by race is to stop perpetuating a
race-orientated society
What are the Democratic Party’s views on affirmative action?
• Some believe in affirmative action in its purest form
o Affirmative action provides the opportunities for minorities and women that wouldn’t
have necessarily been provided by the current system – it deals with the problems
proactively
o Bill Clinton was a strong proponent, and under his presidency 60% of federal judges
appointed were minorities or women and 65% of his appointees received the highest
rating from the American Bar Association, regardless of race or gender
o Hillary Clinton is also a strong advocate, and many considered her to be the driving
force behind Bill Clinton’s programme – as a female, she is also a strong proponent
of equal pay and opportunity, and is thus a public proponent
o Bernie Sanders received 97% by the NAACP, and is thus the highest ever ranked
Presidential candidate regarding his strong views for affirmative action
• Others believe that it should not be quota based, but merely provide equal footing
o Obama is a strong proponent of AA, however not in a quota-based way
§ “The law’s principle should be as a shield against discrimination, not a sword
to advance a social agenda” – Obama
o Obama’s view is considered the consensus amongst the party, as a quota-based
system actually exacerbates the problems and puts others at a disadvantage
• Some argue that intervention should be class based, not race based
o A key Democratic ideal is to help the lower classes and provide opportunities for all
those in relative poverty – so sectionalising these benefits is in itself racism
What is affirmative action, and what are the justifications for it?
• Definition:
o Actions that purposefully favours those who traditionally suffer discrimination, in
order to address the racial and gender imbalances in education and at work
• It improves diversity and levels the playing field
Why, and to what extent, does the Republican Party oppose affirmative action?
• Meritocracy should be a priority
o Conservatives believe in American exceptionalism, and the ideal of the American
Dream – that hard work creates prosperity
o They see affirmative action as disincentivising hard work and placing hard-working
citizens who aren’t minorities at an unfair disadvantage
o Affirmative action – much like many Democratic policies – is seen to promote a
dependency culture in Republican eyes
o “Merit, ability, aptitude and results should be the factors that determine advancement
in our society” – 2012 Republican National Committee
• Government intervention should be class based, not race based
o Republicans argue there are inequalities in society irrespective or gender or race,
and these should be tackled through neutral programmes that target whole classes,
not specifically races
o It is therefore unfair to use race as a deciding factor
• Reverse discrimination is still racial discrimination
o Conservative Chief Justice Roberts – “the best way to stop discriminating based on
race is to stop discriminating based on race”
o The best way to eradicate a society sectionalised by race is to stop perpetuating a
race-orientated society
What are the Democratic Party’s views on affirmative action?
• Some believe in affirmative action in its purest form
o Affirmative action provides the opportunities for minorities and women that wouldn’t
have necessarily been provided by the current system – it deals with the problems
proactively
o Bill Clinton was a strong proponent, and under his presidency 60% of federal judges
appointed were minorities or women and 65% of his appointees received the highest
rating from the American Bar Association, regardless of race or gender
o Hillary Clinton is also a strong advocate, and many considered her to be the driving
force behind Bill Clinton’s programme – as a female, she is also a strong proponent
of equal pay and opportunity, and is thus a public proponent
o Bernie Sanders received 97% by the NAACP, and is thus the highest ever ranked
Presidential candidate regarding his strong views for affirmative action
• Others believe that it should not be quota based, but merely provide equal footing
o Obama is a strong proponent of AA, however not in a quota-based way
§ “The law’s principle should be as a shield against discrimination, not a sword
to advance a social agenda” – Obama
o Obama’s view is considered the consensus amongst the party, as a quota-based
system actually exacerbates the problems and puts others at a disadvantage
• Some argue that intervention should be class based, not race based
o A key Democratic ideal is to help the lower classes and provide opportunities for all
those in relative poverty – so sectionalising these benefits is in itself racism
What is affirmative action, and what are the justifications for it?
• Definition:
o Actions that purposefully favours those who traditionally suffer discrimination, in
order to address the racial and gender imbalances in education and at work
• It improves diversity and levels the playing field
