Economic theory lacks realism
Garin Hovannisian’s column “Leave economics to the people” (Viewpoint, July 19) is a good example of how economics is supposed to work in theory.
But Hovannisian neglects to mention that in the real world all people do not start out with equal capital. If the picnic had reflected a realistic distribution of wealth, a few groups would have had most of the money as the other groups would have had barely any. I seriously doubt that under such conditions fair competition can be expected.
When this is considered, the need for some government intervention is painfully obvious.
Aaron Pearl Fourth-year, political science
Misleading terms manufacture racism
A few points need to be raised in regard to Nancy Su’s article “Regents consider GPA increase” (News, July 19).
First, Su constructs her story based on a misleading notion of the term “underrepresented groups.” This abstract term seems to exclude whites and Asians while harnessing perceptions of discrimination in University of California admissions.
The problem with this term is that it fails to mention that whites are themselves underrepresented at the UC. The 2000 U.S. Census of California reveals that white residents make up 59.5 percent of the population, whereas only 47.3 percent of white high school students currently make up those eligible for UC admission.
The fact the term “underrepresented groups” is used illuminates the story’s liberal leanings, which is one of many that constantly seek to prove the existence of “institutional racism,” that nasty thing that always pops its evasive head into university admissions.
The Bruin does not use the word “minority,” instead favoring more obtuse terminology. This comes across as an attempt to disguise the real issues, as “underrepresented groups” excludes Asians. As a group, Asians pose a threat to the theory of institutional racism because they represent 10.9 percent of the population of California but currently make up 31.1 percent of those eligible for UC admission. A further refinement of these terms is necessary to effectively discuss race in admissions.
Another problem is that the article fails to discuss the implications behind a GPA standard. Being of a certain race is not something that a GPA takes into account. You don’t get an extra grade point for being of a certain race. Rather, it’s a method of quantifying achievements, regardless of race.
As a result, a high GPA is often harder to achieve at an elite private school than at a public institution because of the nature of competition that surrounds individuals motivated by their parents’ investments. Conversely, in a high school that generally performs poorly it is often easier for an individual to achieve a high GPA because of the lack of competition.
Nicholas Louw Vice chairman, Bruin Republicans