The Problem of Multiculturalism
Last 40 years denoted in world history as a
time, when borders were opening: the fall of totalitarian regimes, increasing
of social and cross-country mobility and overall improvement of the quality of
life caused to intensification of migration processes. Statistic says that from
1980 to 2008 the total rate of migration increased by 32%. And of course such increase
brought the wide range of problems. Being highly significant problem, migration
combines the variety of different aspects, such as multiculturalism, ethnical
and cultural identity, religion, racism, xenophobia etc. Multiculturalism, at
the first sight pretending to be the innocent problem, really is the most
controversial one.
In case of traditionally mono-ethnical European
societies and countries the belief in multiculturalism to be positive development
path is fundamentally wrong. The first issue is the question of identity and
integration. In the vast majority of cases immigrants do not integrate in the
society of the host country. Cultural and mental differences are too great to
achieve some kind of even semi-assimilation of the immigrants. Specific features
of historical development led to formation of almost diametrically opposite
identities and even the ways of reasoning. In this case immigrants often even
do not try to integrate in the local communities and cultural systems. The second
major problem is conflicts on the basis of inequality. It covers the wide range
of expressions, starting from the primitive ‘everyday’ racism, xenophobia, and
imperceptions of immigrants. Of course, it causes an appropriate reaction from
the immigrants, which led to the spread of ethnic-based crimes, formation of
ethnic districts etc. Also it should be added that people from ethnic
minorities tend to commit more crimes than local people. In general, things
follow the universal scheme – hate breeds hate.
Trying to promote the idea of multiculturalism
in the public opinion its supporters are suggesting some really reasonable
arguments. Firstly, they state that multiculturalism pretends to be almost the
only way to ensure tolerance and democracy through the world. On their opinion
such diversity will play a role of deterrent factor for any anti-democratic or
totalitarian attempts. Often they appeal to the discourse of Nazism and racism
and claim that such ideologies would never arise in multienthnical society.
Second argument they present is a look on multiculturalism from the side of culture,
art etc. They state that at the junction of different cultures a brand new and
better one will emerge. So it was with jazz and blues in the USA, for example.
However, the reality differs. Considering the
question of democracy and tolerance studies shows, that forcing multiculturalism
often causes the emerging of xenophobia and racism. For the mono-ethnical
traditional societies the invasion of elements of foreign culture might be no
as useful as it seems and even harmful. Local identity tries to validate and
protect itself and as a result the massive of conflicts based on the national
or race issues appear. From the side of cultural value and its possible profit the
historical perspective shows that such effects are rather exception from a rule
than a rule.
Therefore, considering the multiculturalism
from such perspectives, it can be assumed that it has a little profit for traditional
mono-ethnical societies and states.
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