Discrimination

 

Discrimination

Issues of discrimination are complex. We must first distinguish types of victims of discrimination: minorities, majorities, and gender. We must then distinguish between private and government discrimination. Then there are various forms of discrimination. Is there employment discrimination? Educational discrimination? Political discrimination?

 

In an ideal world, all rights would adhere to individuals as individuals, not to individuals as members of a group. Any violation of this principle, by private citizens or by governments, may be viewed as an infringement of freedom because some individuals will be denied some rights due to their birth. However, there are limits to discrimination by individuals, so there is greater danger of government violation of individual rights. Governments may discriminate against minorities or against majorities. There is also gender discrimination. All three types interfere with freedom. Private versus government discrimination If there is private discrimination, then there are market forces that will reduce or eliminate this discrimination

 

Gender discrimination

Most societies have discriminated against women and such discrimination is still common. In most Islamic societies women are denied many rights. In much of Asia there is even prenatal discrimination, with selective abortion against female fetuses so that more children will be male. In the West, women were only granted the vote in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. As for other aspects of freedom, there are two benefits to gender equality. There is a utility benefit, as women clearly are less happy when discriminated against. There is also an economic benefit. Countries that deny economic rights to women are losing about one half of their labor force, and so they have greatly reduced productivity.