Diversity must go hand in hand with new ideas.
Diversity is positive and vital, but virtually meaningless if the diverse individuals are committed to the status quo.
Joe Biden is championing putting together the most diverse cabinet in history. This is of course good, and for far too long the high echelons of government haven’t been close to representing the world outside; systemic inequalities need rebalancing by diverse hiring, and that is no impediment to picking the best person for the job; the best cabinet for the job is diverse.
Having people of different life experiences and backgrounds in the room prevents groupthink, means everyone has a representative at the table looking at things from their perspective, and fosters more inclusive policy making; diversity is our greatest strength and the importance of representation cannot go understated enough.
However, there is a caveat. Picking individuals of diverse backgrounds is no excuse for changing policy. The danger of the Biden administration, and liberalism generally, we’ll see diverse trailblazing people, but all of them committed to corporate hegemony and the status quo; meaning vulnerable and oppressed groups aren’t helped in any way and life conditions don’t improve.
Diversity is crucial, but if it doesn’t come hand in hand with ground-breaking new ideas and bold policy, then it’s nothing but identity politics. We want a diverse cabinet, but the individuals in it need to challenge the status quo. What good is a diverse cabinet that is signed onto and committed to neoliberalism, and hawkish foreign policy?
The left can welcome a diverse cabinet as a sign of a modern, multi-racial, multicultural America, and a middle finger to bigots everywhere, especially off of the back of the last administration, that openly courted the support of white nationalists at various points. However, accepting a diverse cabinet and not scrutinising the motives and beliefs of those within it, would be a crucial mistake. Diversity is only truly diversity if we see policy break from the status quo.