Structural Assimilation - Essay Example

Structural Assimilation Secondary structural assimilation involves a legal termination of group discrimination in regard to ethnicity .Groups achieve a certain degree of secondary structural assimilation because the entrance of ethnic minorities into the dominant group precedes relations in an intimate social setting. There are many factors which explain the greater success of Cubans in respect to Mexican immigrants in regard to secondary structural assimilation in American society. To begin with, the Golden exiles which was organized by elites of the society of Cuba was the first wave of Cuban immigrants.

Majority of them were former industrialists, white collar employees, land owners, managers and bankers.They went ahead and laid the economic foundation to absorb waves of Cuban immigration. The Cubans created an economic enclave in South Florida where solidarity in view of ethnicity was translating business ties. This is what created a mechanism which enabled Cubans to access cultural and physical capital needed for prosperity. One of the key mechanisms was the rotating credit associations. These were informal associations which provided loans to Cuban society based on their reputation .

They did not need to have any collateral to qualify for the loans.Also, Cuban employees were paid less; thus making Cuban businesses more competitive. Despite the fact that employees were paid less they were given promotions, onjob training, and were also helped by their employers to start their own business.The geographical concerdration of businesses played a central role and was an important element that led to success of South Florida enclaves. This was because of the proximity of Cuban customers and clients.

Cubans could afford to run a business without any knowledge on English. On the other standpoint, through direct conquest of their homelands, Mexican entered the American society. The news from the American media that Mexicans living in America were guaranteed security of their properties and Spanish will be respected turned out to be a false promise from Americans. Hence, through manipulations, Americans seized vast tracks of land from Mexican. This deprived Mexicans their physical capital thus diminishing their ability and capacity to prosper.

Though Mexicans initially entered American society through conquest, the immigrants suffered racial discrimination and discrimination to speak Spanish as well as being confined to poor neighbourhoods.All those factors led to the greater success of Cuban with respect to Mexican immigrants regarding to secondary structural assimilation. Since Cubans were favored by group of factors which enabled them to access cultural and physical capital, they improved to a greater extend and were able to amaze wealth and prosperity.

This was facilitated by the fact that Golden exiles were composed of the professionals of Cuban society. This enabled them to create strong foundation of development to Cuban enclave.From the analysis of the table, secondary structural assimilation is largely manifested in regard to race, ethinicity and comparative well being. This is evidenced by the fact that white Americans are paid higher wages as compared to African American. For example, medium family income of the White American is $51,224,this can not be compared to African Americans who have a medium family income of $31,776.

This differences in income Clearly manifests how African Americans were unable to adequately access physical capital.Secondary structural assimilation is further evidenced from the table. On comparing the employment rates of the Cubans with that of African Americans, it is noticed that Cubans have access to more employment rates as compared to Africa Americans. For example, the rate of unemployment amongst Native American is 878% as compared to 217% of Cubans. This means that Native Americans were making use of the exotic people who were immigrants to American society.

Education is manifested as one of the mechanisms which used as an instrument of cultural capital. The table shows that 23,660 of White Americans were awarded with doctorate degrees as compared to 2,327 Asian Americans who were awarded with the same. This implies that Asian Americans were denied enough access to cultural capital. Education is actually a measure of cultural capital. Racism and ethnicity is manifested as central to social stratification. This is because a great percent of blacks are below poverty lines.

For example, only 9.8 percent of white Americans are below poverty line. This can not be compared with 23.6% of African Americans.Hence, racism and ethnicity has led to redundancy of blacks realizing physical capital.However, African American has been exposed to some factors which have significantly limited their ability to access physical and cultural capital. This has negatively affected their ability to prosperity. It should be noted that African Americans were involuntarily brought to the United States of America as slaves.

Others were brought to America through indentured servant and company towns. Upon the abolishment of slavery, blacks had nothing to do with the land and any other property which belonged to White Americans.Thus, since then to present, blacks have suffered of discriminations which have led them to segregation in poorly funded schools. This denied them cultural capital which represents good education thus unable to compete in the labor market for well paying jobs.Blacks suffered residential segregation due to numerous mechanisms.

These include restrictive racial covenants. They ensured that, in the event of three quarters of members from white neighborhoods signing requests not to lease to blacks; it was an obligation to be obeyed by all other members. Red lining was another mechanism that maintained black segregation and limited access to physical and cultural capital. This was referred to as red line because all banks and financial institutions drew a line to establish a gap to signify that blacks were considered of high financial risks and could not be allowed to concede a mortage.

With the effects of lost physical capital, which would have acquired many black members with revaluation of values of their properties and increase residential segregation. This is redlined to the conquest lose of property and economic value.In conclusion, the orchestrated segregation and discrimination of the blacks in American society have significantly constrained their access to physical and cultural capital. This is needed for true wealth creation and prosperity.Contrary, with the case of Cuban society, which had a larger access to cultural and physical capital, explains why they emerged to be more economically successful.