Race and Immigration Flashcards
(43 cards)
By the end of World War One how did Britain’s black Asian communities grow?
Over 1/3 of britain’s manpower was made-up by:
1,000,000 Indian soldiers fighting in Europe and the Middle East
half a million troops in Africa West
Indian volunteers on the Western Front
But after World War One there was violence because white people thought that they were taking their jobs and there was lots of discrimination and immigrants had to fight to keep their rights.
What was britain’s back story with empire nation and race
Britain was the center of a global network of colonies and they saw themselves as civilized white and advanced to the colored people they colonized.
This view of white superiority justified slavery and place black people at the bottom people from Asia and art in the middle.
The Britain empire Olsen packed in nationalism. National Insurance unions and health service were conceived as serving British people only..
What were working rights like from migrants between the wars?
Attitudes to migrant workers were a barrier as lawmakers the police and unions thought ethnic groups were non British and not entitled to the same rights
What was this concept of alien workers?
In 1919 after demobilization of British Army there was lots of racism across Britain.
Many white people were unemployed as they were ex soldiers and they attacked black and Asian people who they thought were foreign and didn’t deserve the same jobs in Britain.
In Cardiff white violence led to three deaths and over 3000 pounds of property damage.
What was the color bar of the 1920s and 30s?
In theory apparently all British citizens have the same rights to work in public facilities but in practice there was a color bar with black and Asian people being refused service in public areas or excluded employment.
It was based on widespread prejudice, unions and businesses working together to alienate these people, lack of police protection for these people and lack of government protection
How did national unions such as the national unions of seamen fight for the rights of white workers?
They thought that white workers should be able to take the job of colored workers.
the NUS demanded that nonwhite sailors jobs should be given to white seamen.
In 1919 white workers in Liverpool went on strike in protest because they had to work alongside black workers which led to 120 black workers being fired
Some NUS campaigns even led to two laws threatening the deportation of black and Asians. (laws below)
What was the alien orders act of 1920?
It required migrant workers to register with the police before they sought out work and if they fail to comply they would be deported.
However in reality it only was applied to black and Asians.
Many of those who were branded as aliens were actually citizens of the British Empire but they were placed under the act because of their skin color.
What was the colored semen act of 1925?
Forced colored cement to prove British citizenship to immigration authorities or else they would be deported.
What are some examples of discrimination that colored people faced?
Wage rates were in favour of white workers with Asian chefs paid £5 a month while white chefs paid £20 a month in 1919.
In 1930s black people were more likely to be unemployed than white people with 80% of black and Asian men being unemployed for a long period compared to just 30% of white men
Racist action continued in the 1930s especially in areas of economic depression with police actually collaborating with white workers that stopped British sailors from working on them ships.
What two main groups focused anti imperialism and anti racism during 1920/1930’s?
During the 1920s and 30s there were lots of groups fighting for the rights of black Asian and Jewish members such as the Communist Party of Great Britain and the international African service Bureau which won like to fight against white domination in Britain
Who were the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB)?
Founded in 1921 had high proportion of members from minority ethnic groups.
It was unattractive to white workers therefore represented many radical immigrants.
One of their major campaigns involve defending Arab seamen.
In 1930 when the US tried to force Arab and Somali semen out of their jobs the CPGB organized regional strikes against their racist policies. Some white workers in Liverpool struck against the NUS.
While the actions were unsuccessful it did show how some white workers were also prepared to support anti racist campaigns.
The CPU GP also organized campaigns against the British union of fascists when they tried to cause Jew bashing and firebombing of Jews. The CPU GP led a demonstration of over 10,000 people to stop the March which forced the BF to abandon the March.
Who were the international African service Bureau?
This group was dedicated to fighting racism and they had a newspaper called the international African opinion which encouraged readers to lobby for black rights and also they lobbied for black and Asians to have equal rights to shopping and health care facilities.
What was britain’s imperial motive to educate colored men from their colonies in britain’s top universities?
Britain’s universities played an important imperial role in educating people from Britain colonies as during the interwar.
Around 150 PPL came from the Caribbean to study in Britain’s top universities. Britain’s policymakers hope that these young men would get educated in Britain and then return to THEIR OWN countries (colonies) and serve the empire as senior administrators.
Students from colonies were not expected to stay in Britain however go through education THEIR EDUCATION.
How did minorities face racial discrimination in their studies and how did they face this issue?
They faced many racial discrimination during their studies so they established groups to campaign for equal rights such as the league of colored people.
The LCP work to expose the color bar and started campaigns to ensure equal access to facilities as well as equal access in healthcare.
How did the Second World War impact race and immigration OVERALL ?
During the period after World War Two there was patterns in migration.
During the war British policymakers looked to the empire to provide manpower power to ensure British victory and mass migration changed British culture.
Still large black Asian migrants were expected to form low status jobs regardless of their education and skills and even trade unions employers and police work together to exclude these new migrants from well paid jobs.
How did the World War 2 war effort impact race and immigration?
By 1945 the government had realized that migrant workers and soldiers had been crucial to the war effort and that britain’s victory was dependent on their support.
Up to 10 thousand Caribbean men joined the RAF
500,000 black African men served in Britain forces
By 1945 the Indian army had two million men which was the largest ethnic volunteer army they’d ever seen
However how did the war expose the ongoing racism that still continued?
There was still lots of prejudice with government encouraging white men from Australia and New Zealand to help war effort but discouraging men from the Caribbean.
Some Caribbean workers were refused work in factories and promotions for black and Asian soldiers were rare as well as interracial marriage looked down upon
This British racism was complicated by the arrival of the American military from 1942 onwards as the US army was racially segregated with black and white soldiers having separate accommodations. American authorities tried to enforce the segregation in Britain as well.
Some British businesses even used the US army desire for segregation as an excuse to enforce the color bar.
However how did World War 2 lead to new opportunities for race and immigration?
Education and training was offered to all ex servicemen after the war and many recent immigrants made use of this.
The British state refused to outlawed discrimination but did publicly reject it.
What was new Commonwealth immigration after the war and what was the British nationality act of 1948 and its impact?
There was a serious labor shortage after the war which meant migrants could come to earn money. The government made it easier for migrants to gain entry.
The British nationality act in 1948 gave legal rights for all people in Britain colonies to enter the UK which led to new waves of migration and increased the amount of black and Asians living in the UK
In 1939 the population from India and Pakistan was 9300 which rose to 500,000 in 1959.
How did immigrants find new opportunties in the 1950s Britain?
As the economy grew there were more opportunities in entertainment businesses such as nightclubs and deejaying due to the Jamaican and reggae music that was popular.
Some were even able to open their own Caribbean restaurants in London.
However most migrants found work in the post office in the NHS or railways. The NHS recruited 3000 nurses from the Caribbean between 1948 and 1954.
What was government’s reaction to this new mass immigration?
Neither labour or conservative welcomed this new immigration with the Churchill and Attlee trying to discourage immigration by putting pressure on governments in the Caribbean to restrict availability of passports.
However they also feared to pass policies that limited immigration because they were feared of damaging britain’s international reputation.
What were some racist reactions to this new immigration?
White people sent MP’s letter about how they didn’t like black and Asian people buying houses claiming welfare benefits getting jobs committing crime.
These complaints were based on the assumption that only white people were British and that only they had rights to national benefits. However these letters did not express any concern about white immigrants from Australia or New Zealand.
And MPs also got letters from immigrants complaining about discrimination however no action by the cabinet was taken as they thought if they intervened then more people would want to immigrate to Britain.
What was the color bar like in 1950s?
After World War 2 unions employers and the government worked together to enforce the color bar with businesses such as Ford enforcing A quota system where 95% of jobs had to go to white people. Also in 1955 white transport workers went on strike due to the breach of the 5% rule.
Due to this mass immigration how did white violence against new immigrants increase?
There are many causes to this white violence
Black and Asian men who dated or married white women were subject to beatings by white men
Black and Asians blamed for economic problems
Police officers were more likely to prosecute crimes against black and Asian people
