Review
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The issues connected with compensation divide the speakers in this dialogue in major and minor ways. Everyone agrees that injustice should be repaired and people made whole in some cases. Everyone agrees that in some cases of racial discrimination blacks are entitled to compensation for harm or losses. But there is a major division over just how to phrase the moral principle of compensation.

Ann and Malik want to compensate those directly or indirectly harmed. They believe the burden of compensation should be placed on those who did the harm and those who benefited from it. Fred has raised objections to this view. He wants to limit compensation to cases where the guilty party and the injured party are clearly identifiable.

Malik accepts and extends Ann's arguments, but with mixed feelings. He thinks it is a mistake to analyze everything in terms of harm and benefits to individuals. Instead, he would like to see black people given reparations as a group and allowed to decide for themselves what to do with whatever resources are involved. Vera is quite willing to accept a broad program of compensation for victims of injustice, but is concerned that programs focused on blacks will do more harm than good by dividing ordinary black and white people. She would prefer to see strong affirmative action for the poor, with guarantees that poor blacks will receive a proportionate share.

John accepts a broad principle of compensation, but wonders whether we should focus on the "least unjust" solution. The burdens of compensation may be unfairly distributed. As a result, he would ease burdens on employers and consider ways to compensate the young whites when they bear a disproportionate share of the burden. He also wants to be sure that the form of compensation fits the harm done. And he would stress moderate action unless stronger action is necessary. The speakers discussed a number of related issues such as the use of statistics, whether strong affirmative action violates the rights of whites, and the value of the "merit system" that is sometimes put forward as an ideal.

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