There are of course good quota systems and bad quota systems. A blanket quota system which reserves only on account of identity can itself suffer from rent-seeking by elites with the quota benefiting the already empowered people of the marginalized group. These people don’t just have superior resources in education and job-related skill sets to be able to get the designated quota but may even use lobbying to obtain the position.

INDIA, June 25: India has lowered the limits on the export of certain essential commodities such as potatoes, onions, and eggs to the Maldives, according to a recent notification, in a move that sparked reports of possible food shortages in the Maldives. This move, though ostensibly based on a new method of calculation, comes against the backdrop of a recent heightening of tensions between the two countries.

There is no empirical evidence that better representation in itself empowers women. Women’s quotas are often captured by elites.