Customer Reviews

Migrations And Cultures: A World View

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

...and usable by both sides. Nevermind that the subtitle of MIGRATIONS AND CULTURES says that the perspective taken by this book is A World View - thus the US is not the specific subject - there is enough here of relevance to our current debates on multiculturalism and immigration that both the fuzzy-visioned left and the myopic, patriotic, right will have field days.

Substantively, MIGRATIONS AND CULTURES looks at six cultures (Chinese, Germans, Indians, Italians, Japanese and Jews) and their experiences as migrants in new countries. A summary of some of his main findings is as follows:

1. A fairly common experience is arriving destitute, applying oneself with reliance on family, endeavor, and thrift; emphasizing education for the native-born 2nd generation, and contributing to increasing wealth of their new country. Concommitant with migrant success there is usually envy and/or prejudice from some native populations.

2. A clear distinction can be made between culture and race. The experiences of Chinese migrants in many countries is a frequent example used by Mr Sowell. As an illustration of the reality that cultural similarities can transcend race we are referred to the fully assimilated Chinese of the West Indies.

3. Cultural capital, which he defines as the habits and beliefs that migrants bring to a new country - is much more important in determining the migrants fate, than is the new homeland's economy, culture, or political system.

It is this last point that both sides will debate. It immediately sours the palate of the far right who offer the idea that the goodness of the US as the ultimate land of opportunity, is there to be tasted, if only the migrants would jump into the melting pot. At the same time Mr Sowell scrambles the eggs of the academic left by saying not all cultures are equal. He says plainly that variations in cultural capital account for differences in economic and social outcomes.

This is a well reasoned book, satisfyingly light on the polemics. For those who don't like statistics it's a bit heavy with the numbers. He's an economist so maybe you'll understand and forgive this emphasis. Anyhow, you should definitely read him.

How does moving from one country to another, or from one continent to another, affect people? How does it affect the lifestyle of those who move? Conversely, how does this change the culture of the recipient country? In his book MIGRATIONS AND CULTURES, Thomas Sowell explores the various answers to these questions by examining the historical changes wrought by migrations amongst six different groups of people: Germans, Japanese, Italians, Chinese, Jews, and Indians (from India, not North America).

By looking at the histories of Germans who migrated to various places in Russia - Baltic, Volga, Black Sea - as well as the differing histories of Germans who migrated to various places in the United States, Brazil, Paraguay, and Australia, he avoids drawing false conclusions that are often made when only one or two particular cases of migration are studied. Sowell applies this broader historical frame of reference to each of these six groups to better understand cultural phenomena. For example, Orlando Patterson at Harvard once wrote that the Chinese were prominent in Jamaica for reasons peculiar to Jamaican history. But by looking at the Chinese in other cultures, one sees they are dominant "middleman minority" in other places as well, ranging from Thailand or the Philippines to Panama City or Lima, Peru. So that one is forced to conclude that it wasn't something unique to Jamaican history that made Chinese prominent as middlemen, but rather due to something in the culture the people brought with them to China, whether in the form of particular skills or work habits or inclinations and attitudes to life.

After years of exhaustive research, consultation with other scholars, and wide-ranging travels in preparing his trilogy (RACE AND CULTURE, MIGRATIONS AND CULTURES, CONQUESTS AND CULTURES), Sowell concluded, "If there is one pattern that emerges from all these histories it is that each group has its own cultural pattern - and that these patterns do not disappear upon crossing a border or an ocean." Some things, such as external cultural manifestations of language or dress, may change far more readily than internal cultural values such as social mores, marital choice, religious practice, propensity to sacrifice and to save earnings, or attitudes towards work, all things which go into that little phrase, "cultural capital".

Sowell's book is exhaustively researched but not pedantic. His numerous specific examples for the general statements he puts forth not only make his work readable but reliable as well: in making a point, he backs it up with specific historical examples. His book is not "light reading" in the way a intriguing novel might be, but it is "sound" reading, enlightening and trustworthy. I didn't get the feeling Sowell tried to pull the wool over his readers' eyes: he instead attempted to lay out the facts in a coherent, honest fashion. His conclusions are insightful (and sometimes controversial). Provided one keeps a pen or pencil in hand to stay attentive to this text, I believe most will find this an enjoyable reading experience.

This is the first book of Dr Sowell's that I have read and I am glad I chose this to be the first. Dr Sowell does a marvelous job of documenting the accomplishments of 6 ethnic groups, the Germans, the Italians, the Jews, the Japanese, the Chinese and the Indians. One cannot help but come away from this book with an even greater appreciation for the wealth created by the human capital of immigrants. I know I certainly did, especially for the Italians since I am of Italian descent. While this book does get caught up in the statistics at times (which is the reason for the 4 stars), it is still a great read. If you like this book, check out "The Other Americans" by Joel Millman. Good job Dr Sowell!

Distinguished Stanford University economist Thomas Sowell's "Migrations and Cultures: A World View" is the most thoughtful, articulate examination of immigration across the globe which I've encountered (Though, I might add, that I am not surprised that this book is truly exceptional, given Sowell's keen interest in - and superb scholarship on - this very subject, which I came across for the first time years ago in his earlier book "Ethnic America: A History".). Sowell traces the immigration histories of six Eurasian peoples: Germans, Japanese, Italians, Chinese, Jews and Indians (from the Indian subcontinent, NOT the Americas). He contends that the relative success of these peoples as migrants owes more to their cultural capital (the set of beliefs and practices taken from their ancestral homelands) than to the economic capital of their new countries. It is a compelling argument which he demonstrates repeatedly, tracing the migration patterns of each of these peoples across the globe. Furthermore, it is an argument which is well-reasoned, fully supported by ample data, noting for example, the degree to which Indian migrants from different parts of India have been able to accrue wealth for themselves and their descendants in far-flung regions such as East Africa, Caribbean islands, and the United States (For example, he observes that Guajaratis, migrants from the Indian state of Guajarat, are far more likely to become successful entrepreneurs than those from other Indian states, since Guajarat has had a long history of successful entrepreneurship; in a similar vein, he compares and contrasts the relative economic fortunes of Western European Jews with those from Eastern Europe, noting that the former were more likely to become successful, due to a much stronger entrepreneurial tradition in Western Europe.).

I believe "Migrants and Cultures: A World View" should be read here in the United States by a wide readership, since Sowell's arguments deserve to be considered seriously in the ongoing debate over illegal immigration. Furthermore, much to his credit, Sowell suceeds in presenting an objective view of immigration, especially here in the United States, in which he notes that the relative cultural capital of emigrant peoples has had a more important influence on their relative success than our liberal, fairly progressive laws on economic and personal freedom. Sowell concludes his book with an intriguing observation on the effectiveness of educating foreign-born "sojourners" here in the United States and other Western democracies in the hope that they would return to their home countries with our knowledge, skills and attitudes on economic and political freedom; he contends that the rise of what he regards as managerial and technological capital via multinational corporations, has lessened the need for human capital transfers via "sojourners" (Written just as the internet was rapidly emerging, I suspect that Sowell in an updated edition of this book, might make a more persuasive argument by citing the successful existence of the internet.). If my interpretation of Sowell's closing arguments is correct, then I predict that he would not share such an optimistic view of contemporary and future American immigration presented in journalist Michele Wucker's recently published book "Lockout: Why America Keeps Getting Immigration Wrong When Our Prosperity Depends on Getting It Right".

Thomas Sowell's columns for Forbes magazine have always been impressive, so it was with great enthusiasm that I began reading this book, the first of his I have read. In examining the migrations of five ethnic groups - Chinese, Indians, Jews, Italians, & Germans - it elaborates on its impact both to the ethnic group in question and to the societies around them. One cannot read this book without coming away with a greater appreciation for the progress often spurred on by immigration. One also cannot walk away without a sincere, heartfelt appreciation for the importance of human capital, as opposed to the financial kind. Many of these groups consistently begin their new lives with nothing, only to speed past those around them in a very short time. One weakness: It is not in-depth enough, if you really want to understand what gives these cultures their inner strength. But it's greatest weakness is the author's tendency to get bogged down in numbers and statistics. Statistics are important if an author wants to prove his/her point, and I love books with plenty of them, but Mr. Sowell should have avoided using all of them in the narrative and included the less important ones in the appendix, as one's eyes tend to glaze over after trying to comprehend so many numbers at once. Still, this book is a good starting point for one trying to get a grasp on immigration and some of the cultures that have had major impacts on our lives, for the better...

This particular title provides an overview of the histories of migrant groups of German, Japanese, Italian, Chinese, Jewish, and Indian ancestry.

The book specifically provides an account of major demographic trends and political events that have occurred to the migrant groups through stretches of history, both in their home countries as well as their destinations. This account provides clues for the reasons behind the migrants' departures, their selection of particular destinations, and the characterized attitudes and skills that the migrants brought with them to where they settled.

The demographic component of this history is summarized by Sowell's hypothesized cultural attributes, backed by an impressive compilation of statistical evidence from the most accurate sources available to someone studying the topic in the modern era.

The book notes some of the major effects of the migration and subsequent settlement (or return sojourney) on both the migrants and the other ethnic groups living in close proximity to the migrants.

This book provides an historical overview of groups that many people may not have heard of. For myself, learning about the history of such groups as the Volga Germans, the Sephardim in Holland, the Italians in Argentina, the Japanese in Peru, the Chinese in the Carribean, and the Indians in Eastern Africa was an eye-opener.

The one potential drawback to this book lies in its uneven accounting of major political events for a few ethnic groups. The book covers the political history of the Sri Lankan conflict and the Jews in Western/Germanic/Slavic Europe some detail, but I would have liked to learn more about the Chinese in Southeast Asia (though the book includes a brief summary of the political events surrounding the formation of Singapore).

A few groups I would have liked to learn more about are not included, either, such as the Germans in the Hapsburg Empire and the Japanese in Manchuko/Manchuria. Still, considering the amount of research, composition, and revision that writing a book of this size and scope must have required, I can't fault the author for the work he did do.

The cultural characteristics that Sowell attributes to different groups of migrants (and supports with evidence) provide some food for thought as well. He provides examples of cultural attitudes and subsequent behaviors that may help or hinder economic development in specific industries, and backs up his fairly common-sense theories with evidence. (A few notable examples are how Jews succeeded in textiles but failed in agriculture, and how Southern Italians were noted as hard urban workers but rarely entered entrepreneurial positions.)

If you are looking for a more detailed history of specific events, this book may not be for you. But as an overview of specific groups, this book does a more-than-admirable job.

Hooray for Thomas Sowell again. This books brings you in contact with the essential facts of people migrations and more...

He covers the German, Japanese, Italian, Chinese, Jewish and Indian migrations. Cultures are not equal was one of the main conclusions I received from this book.

As a result of this book I have found a deeper respect for the cultures mentioned in the book. I also see that the lives built by these people was built from pure grit and toil.

How does my culture affect my future? How does my culture affect my economic well-being? These are all questions I have come to ask as a result of reading this book.

This book is the second book in a series. The series is as follows:
1) Race and Culture
2) Migration and Culture
3) Conquest and Culture
and a 4th related book called Affirmative Action an Empirical Study

This book has shaped my personal view of immigration, emigration and minorities. I now can base my views on historical facts rather than popular or polarizing news articles.

With his usual detailed analysis and commentary, Thomas Sowell takes a look at the experiences of 6 groups that have migrated to different areas of the world over the centuries. He pays particular attention to the economic success these groups have had, and possible reasons for this success. He gives credible explanations for what these groups have accomplished, though he gives more attention to some of these groups than to others. While allowing for a variety of differences in their experiences, Dr. Sowell does extract some shared qualities within these groups: a strong work ethic, financial prudence, and the establishment of an economic niche based partially on the unwillingness of native-born groups to perform certain jobs. Moreover, he points out that, with respect to several of these groups, their success in their adopted nations has often aroused the jealousy and anger of native-born groups (i.e., the Chinese in Southeast Asia and the Indians in East Africa). To this end, Dr. Sowell argues that such resentment often stems from disparities between the achievement of these immigrant groups and that of native-born groups. He cites some examples of this resentment being taken to unfortunate extremes (i.e., the expulsion of the Indians from Uganda and anti-Chinese pogroms in Malaysia), and how the resentment came back to injure the native-born population (especially in Uganda). This is a refreshingly candid look at comparative immigrant experiences, as told by a great writer.

Migratiosn and Cultures does a really great job of describing how different ethnic groups around the world have migrates from their native lands to go new lands in search of work. It focuses on both permant migration as well as temproary migration. Sowell shows how their culture has affected what type of job these groups have gone into and how they have faired in comparision to their native populations. It shows how native populations differ in how they treat the migrants like the differenced in the treatment of the Jews. It also shows how native populations can start a backlash against the new ethnic groups like Jews in various countries, Chinese in Southeast Asia, Indians in east Africa and Germans in Russia and eastern Europe.

Overall, the book tries makes connections between how cultures affects its inhabitants even as the move to new lands and how it affects the descendants of those people.

One thing that we all need to remember is that if we are not immigrants, our forefathers were at some point in the past, and so we should show compassion to the alien that dwells among us. This book gives some insight into the hardships that immigrants have faced simply because they were able to find wealth and success thru hard work and then were hated by the lazy natives who would not. Sometimes in Mr. Sowell's books I got bogged down in the numbers a little bit, but his book gave me an insight which I did not have before.

Thomas Sowell is an American treasure, and we would all do well to listen to what he has to say.

Exodus 22:21 "Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt.