The advantages are many for both the disenfranchised groups and the majority group. When you give people the power to make their own lives and shape their own destiny the entire society benefits from workers who are willing to work more, willing to take care of themselves and their property. When people have ownership in their own lives they tend to do better and it benefits everybody. They work hard, fight for their country and raise their children properly. The disadvantages for the majority group are non existant though they may worry about being pushed down. The only tangeable disadvantages I can see is the idea of affirmative action going to far. Once minority groups have begun to plow through the ranks they no longer need "extra" help such as affirmative action but then it seems to become a barrier rather then a proponent for equality. People need to be able to succeed and fail. Take either one away and you take away motivation.
