America is one of many countries where the state gives a leg-up to members of certain racial, ethnic, or other groups 1 holding them to different standards. The details 2 . In some countries, the policy 3 only to areas under direct state control, such as public-works contracts or 4 to public universities. In others, private firms are also obliged to take 5 of the race of their employees, contractors and even owners. 6 the effects are strikingly similar around the world.
Many of these policies were put in place with the best of intentions: to 7 for past injustices and purify their legacy. No one can deny that, 8 , blacks in America have suffered awful wrongs, and continue to suffer 9 . Favouring members of these groups seems like a quick and effective way of making society 10 .
Most of these groups have made great 11 . At the same time, the downside of affirmative action has become all too 12 . Awarding university places to black students 13 lower test scores than whites sounds reasonable, 14 the legacy of segregation. But a study found that at some American universities, black applicants who scored 450 points worse than Asians on entrance tests were 15 likely to win a place. That is neither fair on Asians, 16 an incentive to blacks to study in high school. The book "Mismatch" produces evidence that 17 affirmative action reduces the number of blacks who 18 as lawyers by placing black students in law schools 19 they are ill-prepared, causing many to drop out. Had they attended less demanding schools, they 20 .