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Affirmative action: An ethical evaluation

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Abstract

This paper examines four major arguments advanced by opponents of race and gender conscious affirmative action and rebuts them on the basis of moral considerations. It is clear that the problem of past racial/gender discrimination has not disappeared; its effects linger, resulting in a wide disparity in opportunities and attainments between minorities/women and whites/males. Affirmative action, although not the “perfect solution,” is by far the most viable method of redressing the effects of past discrimination. Thus it cannot be dismissed lightly by way of arguing for mere colorblindness.

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Bill Shaw is Professor of Business Law at the University of Texas at Austin. He is on the editorial board of the American Business Law Journal and the Midwest Law Review. Among his most recent publications are The Legal Environment of Business (with Art Wolfe), Environmental Law: Text and Cases, ‘The Global Environment: A Proposal to Eliminate Marine Oil Pollution’ (With Frank Cross and Brenda Winslett, The Natural Resources Journal), and ‘Comparable Worth and Its Prospects’ (The Labor Law Journal). Professor Shaw would like to acknowledge the research assistance of Ms. Sohni Z. Yousuff.

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Shaw, B. Affirmative action: An ethical evaluation. J Bus Ethics 7, 763–770 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00411023

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00411023

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