Simon Stravitz
12/10/2017
The Republican party of 2017 America can bicker about immigration policies till they break out in hives. American history has consistently dictated, America is a nation founded by immigrants. a nation endowed and sustained in the modern advent of globalization only through migration and immigration. Diverse cultures congruent to a single continent naturally evolves and boosts the economy. The more diverse and numerous cultures are able to co-exist and trade peacefully, the higher or more flexible prices for consumer goods shift, due to a more diverse market base for a nation to cater towards to sustain a country's economic growth and prosperity.The modern globalization of the American economic political landscape, has exacerbated and continues to envenom substantiated income inequalities within the modern globalization era. Inequalities congruently tied to the bottom line of the capitalist machine, harm socioeconomic diversity and promote socio cultural classism-based hierarchies that divide the American nation apart. The United States government has held a unique position in the global economy as a leading world superpower, a trait which has fostered both international allies and enemies. After America gained its colonial independence from Britain as a colonized settlement, the United States sought to cap its involvement in international affairs to avoid rivalry with foreign powers (Cameron, 2002, p.4). The overwhelming majority of the Founding Fathers of the new republic, insisted that America avoid any governing pretense of global authoritarianism, or involvement in international power struggles (Cameron, 2002, p.4). America has decidedly failed in this promise well before 9/11. Our involvements in The Cold War and The Vietnam War broke the Founding Father’s rule, only to ignore and discard this policy decades later with the War in Afghanistan and the War in Iraq. All international wars and political affairs made more chaotic with American military involvement. Due to our government's insistence on restoring law and order under the guise of seizing and allocating resources from other nations. Other American's argued that because America become an economic superpower in the 20th century, our interference was justified as a "manifest destiny" to promote liberty and democracy around the world, protecting international countries from the creeping threat of imperialism (Cameron, 2002, p.5). Unfortunately, this American moral ideology in realist policy has created international divisiveness during the advent of modern globalization. America has become viewed by many nations as a global authoritarian force attempting to police both the resources and the moral conduct of the world. After the Civil War, the American federal government gained both power and the ability to compromise as an economic necessity to sew together a fragmented culture of racial tensions between the North and the South. National leaders could allocate greater sums of resources to support military efforts to gain more assertive foreign policies (Cameron, 2002, p.5). America retreated into a self-imposed isolationism by the 20th century, after the Senate rejected Woodrow Wilson's efforts to design the League of Nations as an American conduit to untangle global fiscal discord. Whereas the Senate argued America should tend to its personal democracy, not authorize or dispute international politics(Cameron, 2002, p.5).
Franklin Roosevelt fought against Wilson's policies of limited government interference, designing the United Nations with a restrictive Security Council operating within the major global powers. Roosevelt made this decision to strengthen the bipartisan consensus supporting US participation, turning the United States into the wealthiest nation in the world by 1945, an economic superpower (Cameron, 2002, p.7). America has had to ask tough questions about economic sustainability a decade after 9/11. The federal budget deficit has exceeded $1.5 trillion dollars, 10 % gross domestic product, the value of all goods and services(Poole & Kumar, 2012, p.95). Federal spending has exceeding $14 trillion, with national debt rising from 40% to 70% (Poole & Kumar, 2012, p.95). Dramatic fall offs from individual and corporate income tax revenue has contributed to a federal economic recession (Poole & Kumar, 2012, p.95). Our discretionary spending is out of control, as almost all our tax revenue to the tune of $705 billion federal outlays goes to defense and military funding (Poole & Kumar, 2012, p.96). The American government needs to distribute federal funding towards all socioeconomic improvements, not just our military and defense, or the entire country's economy will suffer. In the modern American age, we have yet to strike a balance between authoritarianism and democracy. Many international enemies view America as a global tyrant bent on world domination, while our allies see America’s economic strength as an asset to their socio-political affairs. The United States may never fully resolve its issue of global power interchange. Without setting limits on the foreign policies America is allowed to mold in suiting American interests of power and control. Due to our current administration's endless fight against diversity and the rise of the white nationalists in the 21st century, authoritarianism threatens to extinguish cultural diverse cultures in America, as our government does its best to forget our national roots steeped in migration and immigration.
According to the Department of Geography and Environment and the London School of Economics, major migration waves from the late nineteenth century and early twentieth centuries left an indelible mark on the American economy (Pose & Berlepsch, 2014, p.628). Through comparing data analysis between 1880 through 1910, geographical migration became tracked by each county in the forty-eight continental states (Pose & Berlepsch, 2014, p.628). Migrants remain the heart of the ambitious, risk-taking and entrepreneurial attitudes that shape the economic dynamism of the United States (Pose & Berlepsch, 2014, p.628). Migration has both positively impacted economic trajectories of the United States, while simultaneously increasing economic disparities between sociocultural classes that remains yet to become fully understood through scientific inquiry (Pose & Berlepsch, 2014, p.629). The hypothesis of London's School of Economics, is that in geographical landscapes where migrants settled in larger areas, sociocultural values of venture capital (pooled migrant monetary investments), emerged as the migrant population increased. A population which expanded in size and geographical influence from 4 million in 1860 to under 14 million in 1920 (Gibson & Jung, 2006) (Pose & Berlepsch, 2014, p.629). These migrants originated from rural and proto-industrial areas with strong agriculturalist backgrounds (Pose & Berlepsch, 2014, pp.629-630). Migrating from lands with meager dependable resources (Pose & Berlepsch, 2014, p.630). Spiraling birth rates, combined with unprofitable and scarce resources, necessitated a continental shift for these immigrants to both survive and improve their socioeconomic status. Migration evolved as an adaptation mechanism, due to a high influx between the 1860's and World War I of single, young, poor and uneducated populations, primarily male (Pose & Berlepsch, 2014, p.630). As most transients were assisted in settling down by past immigrants in the territories, newcomers built community infrastructures in indistinguishable spots from their relatives (Pose & Berlepsch, 2014, p.630). Making way for communal self-reliance and a steady stream of migration flow, diversifying the genome pool as more unique subsets of populations and cultures mixed and bred together (Pose & Berlepsch, 2014, p.630). The first migration wave, divided the American populace. The Southern populations remained outside the boundaries of migrant workers inhabited by native-born residents (Pose & Berepsch, 2014, p.631). Consequently, a commercialized agricultural system designed around intensive black laborers and slow industrialization rates, attracted few foreign immigrants towards the prospect of continental relocation (Ward, 1990, p.301) (Pose & Berlepsch, 2014, p.631). First wave migrants began inhabiting sparsely populated counties of Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and several Californian regions (Pose & Berlepsch, 2014, p.631). Thirty years later at the height of the globalization movement, a second wave of immigration replaced English, Irish, German and Scandinavian natives with Italians, Poles, Russians, and Greeks (Pose & Berlepsch, 2014, p.631).
Americas lineage is not based solely around Anglo Saxon genetics, but a rich widespread cultural heritage that encompasses all racial diversities from pre-Columbian Native Americans, Europeans, and African populations blended in genetic synchronization (Gravel et al., 2013, p.2). Natural diversity facilitated the development of medical genetic research studying diverse populations, and the transfer of medical education between sociocultural landscapes (Gravel et al., 2013, p.2). By examining both European, Native American and African genomes, ancestral patterns from the Department of Human Genetics at McGill University accurately predicted complex post-Columbian genetic migration histories. While European genomes demonstrated relatedness between Anglo Saxon populations, the Native American, African and South American genomes demonstrated strongly corresponding genetic hybridity (Gravel et al.,2013, pp.2-3). A correlation which suggests a split between genomes by several hundred years (Gravel et al., 2013, p.2). A highly negative correlation exists between population-level genetic diversity, and geographic distance. This negative correlation became defined in migrant studies as the north-south serial founder effect process; replicated through splicing Native American mtDNA mixed with Y-chromosome variations (Gravel et al., 2013, p.2) (Hunley, Gwin & Liberman, 2016, p.2). The results match autosomal SNP diversities in native Mexican populations, suggesting cultural heterogony precipitated through international migrations (Hunley et al., 2016, p.2). Another result of gene comparisons was Western South American populations containing higher diversities within their gene pools than eastern portions of the continent ( Hunley et al., 2016, p.2). Native American ancestors' genome differs from European and African immigrants due to trio-phased American populations lacking large amounts of European or African ancestry in their genetic sequence, suggesting that mutation rates evolve as diversity increases in a populace (Gravel et al.,2013, p.9). In other words, immigration breeds sociocultural and economic diversity and strengthens the American nation's economy with a greater diversity of job opportunities to cater towards the immigration breeding staple effect of multiculturalism. New cultures and customs birth new economic goods and services that intermingle with established traditions and commerce.
Unfortunately with the advent of modern globalization in the nation of the alt-right and Donald Trump, this trend is sharply declining. Our current political leaders seek to furiously deny the heritage of anyone outside of Anglo-Saxon origin. Trumps rallying cry of, “Make America Great Again!” pertains to white people and no one else in America. If Trump wanted to portray anything other than a scathing hatred of socioeconomic diversity as the foundation of a healthy economy, he has failed demonstrably. Shamelessly posing in front of a portrait documenting the white man who signed the Indian Removal Act into law during a Native American holiday serves Donald Trump with zero favors. Not to mention calling a native politician "Pocahontas" is ominous and foreboding enough evidence the American nation has both forgotten its heritage and mocks its cultural ancestral roots (Smith, 2017, 1). The modern restructuring of the American economy after World War II doubled of the American populace between the 1950's and the 1990's. The Third World's population also expanded to the degree that sharply increasing wage gaps began a common occurrence between rich and poor nationalities (Heale, 2011, p.43). Much of Third World and Middle Eastern antagonism with the United States, stems from global policies favoring unequal distribution of wealth and resources that favors the West over the East. The Third World's population became unsustainable during the advent of modern globalization, because the agricultural resources began dwindling with demand outstripping supply by the 1980's. Despite America’s raging opiate epidemic, destroying the Afghanistan opium harvests will sow the seeds of war, as poor Afghanistan's rely on the opium trade to feed their families in a geographic location with few other resources that turn the same profits. The Afghan Ministry has reported opium production in Afghanistan generates $68 billion dollars in revenue per year, despite drug eradication policies continuing unabated in America (Abigail, 2016, pp.1-2). In other words, opium production has expanded despite billions of American taxpayer dollars spent on eradication efforts(Abigail, 2016, p.2). The black market simply increases the revenue of banned goods, driving poor communities to reap profits from the trade, and if we antagonize Third World communities with the impossible goals of prohibition, we will not only fail to stem production, but fuel global and widespread international conflicts as anti-drug operations have strengthened the Taliban's ability to recruit new terrorists, undermining the war on terror due to simple economics (Abigail, 2016, pp.2-3).
This chain of events has inevitably led to increased migration from poor countries to countries abundant in exploitable natural resources, exploding population growth and setting the foundation for political instability with increased competition for limited resources (Heale, 2011, pp.43-44). The sheer scale of migration rates following World War II had profound systematic implications for American society. Traditional adoptive citizens migrated to America had been European in origin, now the populace shifted to heavy Third World and Middle Eastern populations immigrated to America, with the largest immigration contingent being poor Hispanics, relocating for safety from Mexico and Central American guerrilla warfare uprisings( Heale, 2011, pp.43-44). The income disparity between the United States and Mexico increased with this change in migration, as Asian immigrants from Vietnam, Korea and China arrived in America in ever increasing numbers (Heale, 2011, p.44). The politically unstable landscape of the Middle East heavily augmented the American Muslim population, with over 100,000 Iranians migrating to the United States in the 1980's decade (Heale, 2011, p.44).
These immigrants settled within the expansive Sun Belt states of the South and West, in states in close conjunction within the states of California, Texas, and Florida (Heale, 2011, p.44). However, large populations of ethnically diverse cultures nestled their roots within New York and New Jersey, as Texas became repossessed by Mexicans and Vietnamese fishermen who dominated the seafood trade (Heale, 2011, p.44). Foreign-language played over international television broadcasting directly to American cities and states, began catering exclusively to migrant workers, publicly underlining immigrated populations in America, and the arrival of globalism, the merging of diverse cultures into a single homogeneous uniform country within a single state (Heale, 2011, p.45). Globalism and imperialism threats and state wide antagonisms festered higher, as ever levitating wage gaps and fiercer upon vehement diverse ethnic-cultures increased with races internationally pouring into the United States, as competition for jobs between native American citizens and immigrants along with housing competition skyrocketed (Heale, 2011, p.45). The Midwest became populated within Detroit with the largest concentrations of Arabic speakers outside the Middle East, as the Middle Atlantic Jersey City attracted middle-class families migrating from India (Heale, 2011, p.45). Poor white American residents had a bone to pick with affirmative action policies, for large populations of ethnic immigrants were eligible for several affirmative action programs that didn't cater to whites. The civil rights movement ensured that 20th century migrants had less reason to assimilate European American culture, an ethnic-cultural pluralism as noted by the New York State Education commissioner in 1989 (Heale, 2011, p.45). By the end of the 20th century, over 28 million United States citizens were born abroad, with more than half the immigrants from Latin American countries and a quarter populated by Asians (Heale, 2011, p.45).
The process of modern globalization threatened national identity, because both European and Native Americans became increasingly fragmented with decreasing socio-cultural status as the inheritors of a Western European civilization. These nationalities were unprepared to assimilate new cultural values (Heale, 2011, p.45). Many immigrants received remunerative employment opportunities, adapting to jobs American-born workers often refuse to participate in, including agricultural labor and domestic services for example (Heale, 2011, p.45). The mass importation of poor immigrants willing to work jobs that other Americans refused labor conditions, lowered competitive wage rates and disadvantaged American native workers with poor education and few skills, leading to poor white and minority communities fearing for the safety of their jobs (Heale, 2011, p.46). As scientific professional immigrants found work in the ever expanding high-technology driven economy, with heavy populations in Silicon Valley being foreign-born workers (Heale, 2011, p.46). A Business Week study, determined that a marginally higher proportion of immigrants were college educated compared to native-born workers (Heale, 2011, pp.45-46). Some immigrants became college Professors, engineers, IT workers and medical scientists (Heale, 2011, p.46). While larger numbers took work as laborers, gardeners, janitors and restaurant services. The American economy doubled due to immigrant workers remaining willing to work for less than half of American workers, as now America could access cheap labor which reduced the average price of goods and services, and cheaper skilled laborists which advanced both technological evolution and managerial efficiency (Heale, 2011, p.46).
Immigration and globalization thus functioned as an income redistribution event, with wealth transferring from immigrant competition to businesses which employed immigrant services or purchase goods produced through immigrant workers (Heale, 2011, p.46). The American economy gained more than it lost from immigration and the assimilation of globalization. Yet America had been fiscally and psychologically unprepared for the advanced wave of inevitable migration globalism due to inevitable population mass expansion. Unprepared for the wave of refugees seeking security in a land advertising itself as a home for the oppressed, nor was America prepared for the undocumented "illegal" aliens who smuggled themselves into the United States or bypassed security measures through legitimate visas (Heale, 2011, p.46). The aftermath of the Vietnam War opened new streams for Cuban, Vietnamese and Cambodian immigrants due to the assumed bias of refugees being labeled as those escaping a well-founded fear of prosecution, a fear which continues to spread in modern American history (Heale, 2011, p.46). The United States had set a 300,000 immigration limit in 1965, but a critical flaw in the legislature enabled immediate relatives of American citizens' entry without limits which profoundly affected the composition of modern American society, due to a pyramid effect which steadily replaced European immigrants with Third World immigrants (Heale, 2011, p.48).
The advent of such diverse populations has had a meteoric effect on the modern American economy. Studies from Economic Geography predict a positive correlation between insufficient ethnic diversity within a region, and declining economic development (Pose & Berlepsch, 2015, p.394). Most scientific analysis focuses specifically on the link between institutions and economic development. Institutional constructs can transfer from one region to another as a natural consequence of migration, as new ethnic enclaves reshapes societal norms as the population evolves (Pose & Berlepsch, 2015, p.394). Migrants have transformed America into a cultural identity which draws influence from the countries and communities they left behind. The communities which adapted the quickest with native connections saw the fastest economic growth rates, whereas immigrants who struggled to assimilate the English language and customs have struggled in equal measure (Pose & Berlepsch, 2015, p.397). Within the Donald Trump vision of America, the global economy’s strength through diverse cultural is undoubtedly threatened. Despite the myth of working class voters peddling Trump to victory being busted, many Trump voters without college degrees come from middle-income or upper-class (Washington Post, 2017, p.2). Trump’s belief system ties into harming poor communities and immigrants, as this administration is hell bent on exorcising as many immigrants as possible from the United States. Tensions with the Middle East and North Korea are boiling over, as Trump views democracy and cooperation as weaknesses, not strengths. Our country is becoming increasingly divisive with a perpetual “Us VS Them” mentality that will tear the nation apart if left unchecked and unaccounted. 9/11 did not help matters, most Islamic residents and Muslims are considered terrorists even though only a small minority joined forces with Saddam, Bin Laden and ISIS. If America assumes the worst from our international populations we promote war and anarchy, while fracturing our international allegiances beneath the shade of authoritarian governance.
American history of migration and globalization still resonates and affects America today. America will either become the winner or loser of this trend, depending on our ability to assimilate international cultural values and mesh them together with our own. Diversity in both culture and genetics breeds a strong economy, therefore fiscal and political isolationism will weaken our economy without doubt. Our culture is becoming less inclusive and more materialistic and individualistic in modern America. The political sphere supports this cultural antagonism without realizing its grave socio- economic implications. If we ignore the economic growth spurts ascertained through communities which promote and accept cultural diversity it is to the American nation's detriment. Intolerance and bigotry within the political biosphere of jobs, economy, housing and educational opportunities, weakens the cornerstone upon which America was founded. Our nation was built on inclusive principles steeped in multiculturalist traditions, it is the anchor of American civilization. Communities from all over the world, once able to sanctuary and economic opportunity within the United States, are becoming increasingly marginalized within a fragmented country that views diversity as an economic threat instead of an monetary fiscal asset. This political and socio-cultural delusion, will stunt the growth of the economy, for diversity breeds innovation in the business world, and promotes egalitarianism that drives consumer liberties. In summary, if we forget our history and attempt to ethnically cleanse the nation, not only will America become a divided nation against itself which will cease to function, but our economy will suffer a tremendous loss. Globalization is the inevitable future, diversity cannot become silenced away. If the Trump administration refuses to accept history, they will inevitably alter the course of our economy for the worse, benefiting the rich and ethnocentric ideologies of their voter base, at the expense of the rest of the American population, bringing about the destruction of multicultural expansion, and the foundational values our nation was built upon.
References
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