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Affirmative Action in the Presence of a Creamy Layer: Identity or Class Based?

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  • Guha, Brishti
  • Roy Chowdhury, Prabal

Abstract

We analyze affirmative action in the presence of income heterogeneity, with the target group containing a creamy layer, as well as poorer members. We find that a move from identity to class-based affirmative action would affect the creamy layer and the poorer members of the target group differently. While it would help the poorer members of the target group, it would hurt the creamy layer, as well as the non-target group. Further, temporary affirmative action need not have a permanent effect, since removing identity-based affirmative action may harm the poorer members of the target group. Thus either removing identity-based affirmative action, or switching to a class-based affirmative action is likely to be politically difficult.

Suggested Citation

  • Guha, Brishti & Roy Chowdhury, Prabal, 2017. "Affirmative Action in the Presence of a Creamy Layer: Identity or Class Based?," MPRA Paper 78686, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:78686
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Affirmative action; creamy layer; class-based affirmative action.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D78 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Positive Analysis of Policy Formulation and Implementation
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing
    • J78 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Public Policy (including comparable worth)

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