Affirmative action Quote by William Voegeli
““Does affirmative action place minority students in colleges where they're likely to fail while depriving other applicants of the chance to attend the most challenging schools where they are capable of succeeding? Does rent control drive up the cost of housing, depriving property owners of the same opportunity to profit as any other investor while driving down the quality and quantity of the housing stock? Do minimum wage laws reduce the number of entry-level jobs, making it harder to escape from poverty? Because compassion, by its nature, subordinates doing good to feeling good, these are questions the warm-hearted rarely pursue.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public policy discussion, date unknown
The quote questions whether well‑intentioned policies like affirmative action, rent control, and minimum wage may unintentionally harm those they aim to help and benefit others.
In simple terms: Good intentions can cause unintended negative effects.
Key Takeaway
Examine policies for hidden trade‑offs.
Themes
policy
economics
ethics
social justice
unintended consequences
Mood
thoughtful
critical
concerned
Type
analytical
policy critique
When to use this quote
- education admissions
- housing markets
- low‑wage labor
- policy design
- advocacy
Key Concepts
externalities
distributional effects
moral hazard
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence shows these policies help or hurt?
- How can we balance compassion with effectiveness?
A Different Perspective
Policies may also improve equity and opportunity when well‑crafted.
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![“[On affirmative action:] Universities give a boost in admissions for other factors besides race, factors that bring no social benefit, such as athletic ability, celebrity of parents, and alumni connections. It is remarkable how little agitation there is against those practices.” quote by Barbara Bergmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/974/barbara-bergmann-64259_ability_on-affirmative-action-universities-give_2483440.jpg)
![“The hallmark of futile negotiations is that each side regards [an] overarching reality as a problem for the people on the other side of the table, rather than one for everyone at the table.” quote by William Voegeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/99b/william-voegeli-68573_negotiation_the-hallmark-of-futile-negotiations-is-t_968592.jpg)
