FREE ESSAY ON HISTORY AND CULTURES

HISTORY AND CULTURES

History and Cultures by Thomas Sowell
Summary
History and Cultures by Thomas Sowell surveys many different cultures and explains why
cultures have differences in productivity, income, wealth, education, occupation and
industry. A reason for these differences is due primary to geography, rather than to the
individual or ethnic group.
History has proven that because of geography that no one society has developed equally
and that the size of a person's cultural world will influence how far a person or an
ethnic group can develop, technologically and culturally.
Immigrants can thrive almost everywhere because they must. As outsiders immigrants tend
to work harder than natives, starting with most menial jobs. Japanese-born farmers
achieved eight times more out put per acre than native-born farmers.
Despite an immigrant's humble origins, they help nations to succeed and prosper. The
majority of benefits that come from immigrants without credentials are those people who
don't have much to recommend to society them except to strive for a better life. Many
countries show that general populations become better off through markets than
through government. Reviled by native Americans for clinging to their culture,immigrants
have launched vast business enterprises, which include household names such as, Bausch
and Lomb, Weyerhauser, Chrysler, Steinway, Wurlitzer, Hershey, and Heinz. Another reason
why some ethnic groups tend to excel in another society is because they
conform to the norm of their newfound social group and they find approval. This is mainly
blamed on their new society. Foreign-born people have made long vital contributions to
other nations throughout history, including military matters; they receive little or no
help from governments. In producing military technology, immigrants
bought with them technology or cannons to China, Spain, and Russia, among others, and
manned the United States as being the first in nuclear power. Immigrants that have become
involved in politics usually have been representatives of broader political realms rather
than ethnic leaders.
These immigrants are ambassadors to their ethic country. Migration has been a part of
history for many centuries. When an immigrant or an ethnic group migrates to another
geographic location, their cultural patterns do not disappear but remains with them.
Culture does not only shape what we do but it demonstrates shared values, beliefs,
behavior,
and material objects that govern a person's way of life. Cultures are strategies to meet
human needs. History has shown that ethnic groups or individuals have prospered better
outside of their culture than existing within their own culture.
The differences among these cultures are values and beliefs that affect cultural
development. The inter-group differences that rise from poverty to prosperity are between
the doers and the do-nots. Cultures do not only compete against each other but they also
compete within their own societies.
Most competitions will result in winners and losers but most of all competitions will
result in a higher standard of living. Cultures compete at many different levels, but one
method that cultures compete is warfare. The conquest of a country
will determine what laws, language and customs that the natives of that country will
adhere to.
Warfare is not the only way that cultures compete. Cultures also compete in practical
ways to serve a better purpose for humanity, from growing food to discovering a cure for
cancer.
Migration has its ups and downs in another society. Immigrants have brought with them
added disease and crime. During the late twentieth century the United States had several
diseases that had become nearly extinct within the American population, but some of these
diseases re-introduced themselves when immigrants entered into the country. Some of these
diseases are tuberculosis, leprosy, measles, cholera, and malaria. Crime among the
different cultures in another society is mainly because of the different backgrounds,
priorities, and religions.
Immigration does not only help with the development of a country but it can also dissolve
a country.
Countries have made considerable efforts in preserving other foreign cultures and their
languages within the host country. In the United States many immigrants are entitled to
preferential treatment under the affirmative action. Affirmative action is intended to
take a wrong that was done in the past and make it a right in the present. Programs such
as affirmative action has increased anti-immigrant feelings among U.S citizens in which
has resulted in potentially explosive conflicts between natives and immigrants.
History does not only offer an outline for the present but it does offer examples and
insights to the future. Migrations have played a very valuable roll in the economic,
productivity, income, wealth, and education developments of a country. Nevertheless, each
culture needs another culture in order to advance in society and to preserve mankind.