America and the “Melting Point” Concept Essay

Introduction

Though argued as a multinational concept, the “melting pot” paradigm has often been used to describe the American societal setting. Various critics have however regarded this assumption as false; citing the rather distinct difference earlier inhabitants of the larger America choose to distinguish emigrants to their setting, from themselves. Earle and Wirth (1995), through their book titled “American issues: the social record”, seem to question the relevance of the melting pot depiction to describe America (3). They argue that America’s conservative nature creates relevance to instead describing it as a society that tries to foster cultural tolerance as opposed to completely assimilating it. America presently holds legislations that seem to limit the emigration of individuals into their country. America cannot be described as a perfect melting pot of cultures, and should instead be referred to as a society that struggles to maintain societal rights through cultural tolerance. The past American society seems to bear witness to this particular assertion.

The term melting pot emerged during the late 18^th century and was used to describe then America as an ideal setting that fostered both cultural tolerance and assimilation (Curti, 10). It was often regarded as a futuristic concept that would eventually become relevant once all cultures brought into the continent by differing factors would eventually blend and form a single entity, which would serve as America’s depiction. To this effect, various critics argued that America might have eventually been successful in achieving this objective, through understanding that many emigrants eventually adopted a new culture in their present setting. Few can argue that the present American culture appears as a diverse union of various cultural identities (Macionis, 25).

A different perspective is however witnessed once we understand the different challenges particular races faced in trying to melt into a new culture. True to this assertion, it can be argued that though early historians alluded to the fact that America was an ideal melting pot, many people did not melt and instead faced many barriers to becoming accepted into American life. Various historical examples can be used to prove this assertion. In this particular context, it can be argued that the fact that most immigrants into the American culture faced racism-related challenges is one example that deems the melting pot paradigm a false depiction of the American culture. Again, a second example can be offered through analyzing the then-American legislation system that seemed to lock out the immigration of individuals into the country. These particular examples bring forth an argument on multiculturalists and Assimilationist approaches to understanding the argument in context.

Racism during the 18^th and 19^th centuries

Previous notions held by early historians and social scientists seemed to regard the melting pot theory as a paradigm that entailed the “complete assimilation of white immigrant groups” (Macionis, 67). Immigrants from non-white territories were often discriminated; and faced particular challenges in the new society. Earle and Wirth (1995), state that the problem seemed to transcend religious boundaries. They note that Non-protestant immigrants also faced discrimination as immigrants in the 18^th Century (15). America was instead regarded as an Anglo-Saxon nation; and that individuals who did not fit this particular race demographic were only allowed to culturally assimilate as opposed to intermarrying with the white race.

Though assimilationists later accepted that African Americans and other non-whites were a major part of their evolving society and served as an advantage to the particular society, they still insisted that any racial mix would erode the then-present Anglo-Saxon culture. This as Macionis (2005) seems to argue ironically presents them as multiculturalists instead (70).

Legislation policies during the 18^th, 19^th and 20^th centuries

The American post-World-War (s) legislation ironically provided precedence to limiting the melting of cultures. It is particularly noted that the Naturalization Act of 1790 seemed to only allow some European immigrants into the country; but again distinguished them from the Anglo-Saxons through their racial background (Earle and Wirth, 18). Further evaluation of the historical legislative policies reveals that acts such as the Chinese Exclusion Act further limited the immigration of the Asiatic demographic into America.

Though various historical assimilationists argued that these laws were rather oppressive, they seemed to disregard the fact that the laws kept getting tougher once a new culture seemed to start spreading within their social fabric. Fischer (2006) for instance notes that the racially discriminative “1924 Immigration act limited” immigration benefits to individuals from Euro-Asia only and restricted others (97).

Melting pot concept in present American settings

The present American culture seems to try to offer a setting that fosters cultural tolerance as opposed to complete assimilation. This as Thomas (2008) seems to argue, deems multiculturalism as a “compromise between multiculturalists and assimilationist” approaches to understanding the melting pot (101). A further evaluation of this new approach, however, only reveals that the host nation places particular boundaries to what they define as the melting pot.

Fischer (2006) uses the present American legislations that limit emigration of Hispanics and Africans into the country, to support the aforementioned assertion (67). They note for instance that the present policies allow for internal migration and limit international emigration into America. Through this, it is understood that the present demographic are not forced to completely assimilate into a new culture, but should instead tolerate other cultures within their social setting.

Conclusion

The American culture in both the past and the present seems to shift from an assimilationist perspective to one that is multiculturalist and eventually to one that incorporates both approaches to defining their cultural base. Through these transitions, however, it is still noted that the American setting still makes it hard for individuals to be completely accepted into American life.

Works Cited

Curti, Merle. American issues: the social record, 4^th Edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1971. Print.

Earle, Robert L. and Wirth D. John. Identities in North America: the search for community.

Chicago: Stanford University Press, 1995. Print.

Fischer, Klaus P. America in White, Black, and gray: the stormy 1960s. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2006. Print.

Macionis, John J. Society: The Basics. 8^th Edition. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005. Print.

Thomas, K. “Macrononsense in Multiculturalism.” American Psychologist 63 (4) (2008). American Psychological Association. Web.