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Multiculturalism is the pet theory of academicians and policy planners, but the diversity they celebrate often leads to social conflict, which retards economic progress and restricts personal freedom.
by F.R. Duplantier
The freedom that leads to economic growth is more likely to be found in a homogenous society, says Gerald Scully of the National Center for Policy Analysis. "Economic freedom and rule of law are fundamental for high levels of economic growth," contends Scully. "Security of property, freedom of contract, and free market exchange promote capital formation and, hence, economic growth. A legal system based on law rather than men's whims stabilizes the rules under which resources are allocated." Without individual freedom and a legal system that protects it, "transforming poor nations into rich nations is virtually impossible," says Scully. Poor nations are often characterized by cultural diversity, which leads to "social conflict," a loss of freedom, and a stagnant economy.
All the various immigrant groups that came to America brought with them their "own culture, some elements of which were thought to be inconsistent with American values." Scully notes that, until recently, our national policy was "to homogenize immigrants -- to make them speak English and disabuse them of radical political beliefs." As long as we maintained this policy, we "managed cultural conflict better than the rest of the world," says Scully. "The tension of absorbing different cultures through immigration has been partly diffused because of institutions that protect individual freedom, and because attempts have been made to bring immigrants into the cultural mainstream."
The problem with multicultural societies is that "the ethnocentric differences of race, religion, ethnicity and language often lead to enmity." The violence in Northern Ireland, the separatist movement in Quebec, the terrorism in Palestine, the ethnic rioting in India -- all are manifestations of multicultural madness. "Even if different groups live together peacefully," Scully contends, "the lack of a common language and common norms reduces cooperation" and drives up the cost of commerce.
Imposing socialist policies can retard economic growth in any society, of course, but in multicultural societies "intergroup conflict may result in additional economic inefficiency, lower the growth rate, and even turn violent. Hostilities make property insecure, which slows the rate of capital accumulation. Eventually, in culturally diverse societies, one cultural group tends to dominate and to suppress violence and manage enmity." That domination generally takes the form of "discriminatory restrictions on occupational choice, denial of educational opportunities, licensing of trade, confiscation of land, nationalization of business, restrictions on property [and] exchange and mobility restrictions," all of which have an adverse economic impact on society as a whole.
Scully laments the passing of America's "melting pot" method of assimilating immigrants, which combined "disparate elements into a common substance." The common rights we shared as individuals, no matter what our ethnic origin, are now being replaced by "group rights." This is a dangerous development, "because emphasizing our cultural differences may exacerbate intergroup enmity and lead to social breakdown."
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