Racial and Ethnic Relations

Racial and Ethnic Relations

Japanese-Americans and European-Americans.

Economical: Initial Reaction of Dominant Group.

The Europeans would not allow the Japanese to obtain jobs in their offices, corporations, and hospitals. The Japanese had to open their own businesses in order to survive because they could not find work in the European community. They were allowed to become middle Middlemen Minorities in order to service the European-Americans through smaller businesses. Their communities were well established and thriving. The middlemen theory is described as a group that is polarized within the economic structure of a society by filling a niche market or need within that society (Feagin & Feagin, 2011). The are able to pool resources and skills to supply a product or service in demand by a upper class societal market and a lower income/class market.

B. Political and Economical: Effect over time.

However, after the first wave of Japanese Immigrants, they were discriminated against by the Anglo/European-Americans on the basis that they were denied employment within the European communities or white Protestant Americans of the United States (Feagin & Feagin, 2011). The Japanese were segregated to certain areas on the west coast of the U.S. starting in 1942 after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This politically charged discrimination was based on their race being the same as those that bombed Hawaii. This led to exclusion of Japanese from jobs in European communities. It also spawned legislation that would allow Japanese-Americans to be rounded up and forced to live within certain regional areas in California. The Japanese were given opportunities to open small shops, restaurants, and use their skills as tailors for example in order to provide goods and services to the elite group. The middlemen group provides services to the elite group while at the same time is often looked down on from minority consumers that seek employment or who also buy the goods and use the services of the middlemen. Other minorities resent the fact that the Japanese have businesses and they have not been given same economic resources and governmental opportunities to open businesses that has been given to immigrants.

A. Ideological: Japanese-Americans.

In later years the U.S. Federal Government gave reparations to the Japanese. The amount given to the Japanese is over $1 billion in aid since 1988 when President Reagan gave a formal apology for the forced separation of Japanese-Americans. This was an attempt to restore the losses incurred by 2nd generation of Japanese who were subject to unfair and unconstitutional violation of civil rights as American citizens.

B. Ideological: Effect over time.

This was instrumental in allowing 2nd and third generation descendants to attend college on grants and scholarships. In addition they have received loans and grants to start businesses in addition to receiving other aid such as medical care. When a Japanese business is very successful there is some backlash from the European businesses that may compete for the same niche market. This again puts the concept of Middlemen into play as the Japanese businessmen has the elite customer on one side, other minority consumers on the other and European competitors calling for regulatory or economic intervention to gain an advantage over the minority business owner.

A. Political and Economic: European-Americans and Cuban Americans.

Cuban American immigrate from Cuba to the Miami area. Europeans consider them as enclaves or ethnic communities that develop in cooperation or collaboration with European companies economically and politically. Because of the early history involves tobacco growing plantations in the Miami and Southern states, Europeans were more apt to encourage migrant workers. The enclave theory discusses how distinct social and economic niches are established within the American economy (Feagin & Feagin, 2011). The enclave market is based on a group of immigrants that have access to capital along with the ability to obtain workers willing to accept lower wages (Feagin & Feagin, 2011). Since many Cuban immigrants were highly skilled at tobacco growing, this contributed to the first requirement. Add to this the open border to accept Cuban immigrants into the U.S. In the 19th century who were highly skilled and had financial resources who were allowed to leave Cuba. Leading to the final requirement of laborers. The door to Cuba was open and since America promised higher wages than Cuba and the opportunity to start a business, there were many immigrants willing to leave their native land. In order to seek a new life in America. Many Cuban migrant farmers were welcomed by Domestic European businesses who would benefit from the experience and expertise of Cubans who became successful landowners, suppliers, and manufacturers of tobacco.

B. Economic: Effect over time.

Due to the large numbers of well educated Cuban business owners, there are often enclaves of Cuban employees that hire and exploit the uneducated Cuban migrant workers at lower wages who come to America to find work. The Cubans were able to establish their own corporate structures, political activists, and unionized workers within these enclave communities. These business owners became powerful and were able to establish trade and mutually beneficial partnerships with European tobacco growers. Some minority groups and others respond by resorting to black market of goods such as drugs, and other illegal products in order to gain a higher economic standing. This leads to the segmented assimilation of certain groups within the race of Cuban peoples. While some are accepted into American society due to the wealth obtained through the labor of another segment of the same racial group. Others are not so easily assimilated into American society and find themselves on the outs. For those that are not fortunate enough to migrate to the U.S. with some capital, the opportunity to improve their position is not as promising.