The Bracero Program was a bi-lateral agreement to export Mexican laborers to American farms form 1942 to 1964. As the United States fought in World War II, it need a large labor supply to feed its effort so it turned to Mexican Braceros to fill that gap. The photo above is of Mexican Workers on their way to a Bracero Camp. It represents everything the program meant, it was the exploitation of the many for the benefit of the few. Even though its origins were noble, the program quickly became a way for American agribusiness-men (Growers) to exploit and profit. What we find is that although the Bracero Program had the intention of helping both Mexican and American economics it ended up doing massive damage to both. Also the side effects endured …show more content…
At same time many argued that the Bracero Program was good for business and could jumpstart the economy. President Truman, was part of the latter group, in 1950 he created the President’s Commission on Migratory Labor in America Agriculture to see what the real effects of the program were. From the transcripts of an interview between Robert Goodwin a Depart of Labor employee and James R. Fuchs we see that committee found no matter what, the Bracero Program left American workers with lower wages. Despite this however many argued that since the United States was experiencing a labor shortage due to the Korean War, the Bracero Program was needed to maintain the production levels for the conflict. This however was false, growers were using the Korean War as an excuse for their exploitation. To begin with when 248,000 undocumented Mexicans were deported in California, the number of unemployment insurances recipients declined by 15 percent. The only people able to apply for insurances benefits were Americans who have been living in California for at least three years, meaning Braceros were definitely not recipients of these benefits. There was a sizeable unemployed Californian population that growers did not tap into. Why? Again because the Bracero Program produced a consistent flow of cheap and flexible laborers. It was in the grower’s best interests to lay off costly American workers for cheap Mexicans ones. [GO OFF ON
In the 1990s an update of the H2A program claimed that the program was importing thousands of workers to the United States. Arguably one of the most important aspects of the H2A program was that “guest workers” were contracted and by that contract were allowed workers’ compensation coverage, housing inspections and transportation. This was a vital improvement because undocumented workers were not entitled to such allowances. More so, the program presented a chance for Mexicans to work in the United States legally which was an appreciated opportunity for Mexican workers. This program clearly promoted new and improved benefits for Mexican
The Great Depression began in October of 1929 and this caused many people to lose their jobs and left many young men on the streets with nothing. Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was president at the time, created the New Deal programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps. The Civilian Conservation Corps focused on soil conservation, reforestation, and providing men with work during the Great Depression. The men that were part of the Civilian Conservation Corps helped a great deal with soil conservation.
Arkansas and the World War II World War II brought great changes to the state of Arkansas. Arkansans faced great challenges both during and after the war. The breakup of families by being separated from some of the male members to join the army, rationing of food, formation of camps to accommodate the Japanese in their fields, participation of women in the labor force, crisis education, as well as racial confrontation for the equal civil rights of African Americans. The war had a great economic and social impact on the people of Arkansas. The war contributed to the most important economic change as World War II was a major turning point for Arkansas.
Adding to the difficulties faced by braceros who attempted to engage in the program and come to work in the U.S. legally, there was the problem of illegal immigration and the fact that the INS, at least tacitly, encouraged Mexicans to illegally cross the border into the U.S. Illegal workers were often “legalized” if they happened to be detained by the border patrol, especially if it was during a peak season for American farmers. (cite, 140) At some points during the program, depending on the state in question, the number of illegal workers actually outnumbered legal braceros. (cite, 141) This certainly served to make the plight of the braceros an even more unsavory one. As Mexicans flooded across the border in ever-increasing numbers, the advantage
Section 1: Identification and evaluation of sources For my investigation, I chose the topic of civil rights activist, Cesar Chavez. The question of this investigation is: “To what extent did Cesar Chavez use nonviolent social action to improve the lives of farm workers and people of color throughout the United States from the 1960s to the 1980s?” Throughout the 1950s and 60s, farm workers had a harsh life. From harsh working condition, to low wages, this created a huge conflict in the whole country of the United States.
After the Cold War tapered slightly in the 1950s, the American economy struggled to adapt, but remained prosperous as politicians labored to once again convert the wartime economy to a peacetime economy. Because a wartime economy often promoted economic growth, providing excess employment to produce weaponry and other war necessities, the American nation faced a potential economic disaster as the war concluded. As a result, President Truman proposed a process meant to make this transition as successful as possible: Truman’s program to ensure a smooth transition to a peacetime economy included proposals for unemployment insurance to cover more workers, a higher minimum wage, the construction of massive low-cost public housing projects, regional development projects modeled on the Tennessee Valley
The only ones who didn’t benefit was the indigenous people. There were several problems that the encomienda system faced. Aside from indigenous people being worked to death, there existed a major decline in the indigenous population and an increase in Spanish migration. Of course, a solution was brought up in which everybody pays tribute to their higher ups, called the repartimiento system. But, even with this came problems.
The Bracero program was a huge lift up for the U.S and Mexico economy, but it was also full of injustices and exploitation for man who was on this program. Man who was working by the Bracero program had horrible working conditions and the process to get selected was totally inhuman, as Gilbert Gonzalez highlights on the article Guest Worker or Colonized Land “The men were stripped and told to enter an empty chamber resembling a large shower; here they were dusted with lindane, intended to rid them of body lice. Of all the measures that men had to undergo, this spraying was considered the most unpleasant, possibly because they were dusted without mask and forced to breathe the poisonous mist” (Gonzalez p.76). This quote highlights the welcome that the U.S gave to this men who came to the U.S to work their lands to better their economy and, this is how they receive them. This is exploitation to a specific group who is basically been treated as if they were animals and not humans.
A boycott on grape growers that exploited Mexican-American workers began very innocently, but quickly spread across the country. Farm owners’ work requirements were disproportional in compare to the offered wages. Moreover, the exploitation was possible due to scarcity of alternative work for Mexican-American farm workers. The consequences of the exploitation impacted in a negative way on the farm workers entire families. The employees, due to the lack of alternative, worked under conditions which offended humanity.
“We are each other's harvest; we are each other's business; we are each other's magnitude and bond” (Gwendolyn Brooks). In one of the most difficult eras in American history, The Great Depression forced families across America to look beyond their individual family unit and embrace unity among others with similar backgrounds. John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath tells the story of a migrant worker family The power of unity played a large role during the Great Depression because it allowed the common man to become part of a larger group with similar backgrounds. In John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck describes the creation of unity when he says “And because they were lonely and perplexed, because they had all come from a
The next piece of writing I am analyzing is written by Lydia Morris and is called “Dangerous Class; the Underclass and Social Citizenship”. Morris focuses on the underclass and the emergence of social rights. She also discusses T. H. Marshall and uses his views to reinforce her own in regards to the incremental implementation of social rights. Morris begins by discussing the poor in 17th century Britain; they were seen as a burden, and vagrancy had been outlawed. In 1601 The Poor Law Act was established, it allowed overseers the power to impose a tax on property in order to raise money for the poor.
In Latin American Revolution before the revolution there were four main social classes; on the bottom there were the slaves and the Indians, then there were the Mulattoes (who were of African and Spanish descent) and the Mestizos (who were of Spanish and Native American descent), then the Creoles (who were of pure Spanish blood, but were born in America), and at the very top there were the Peninsulares (they were of pure Spanish descent and were born in Spain). The Creoles lead the fight against Spain because they wanted higher social status within their own lives, more political control over their own lives, and they were tired of Spain having total control over their economy. The Creoles weren 't allowed to do many things simply because they were born in America and not Spain, it didn’t matter that they were of pure European descent. Creoles were not allowed to hold political positions, only the Peninsulares were able to. For example, in 1807 only 12 of the 199 judgeships were held by Creoles, the rest were held by Peninsulares.
Deborah Cohen traces development and international range of the Bracero Program from its roots to its inevitable end. Part 1 gives an outline of the program by examining the intentions, expectations and forecasted goals of the United States, the farmers, and also the workers – then explores the binational agreements and negotiations the led to the creation of the program. Cohen also illustrates how both the framers and the workers manipulated the program for their own interests. Part 2 dives into the medical screening processes that took place in Mexico and in the United States and the exploitation of the workers that occurred in the years of the program. In the final section, Cohen discusses the end of the program – the changes in the U.S.
The documentary “The Fight in the Fields: Cesar Chavez and the Farmworkers’ struggle” gives the audience a small glimpse into the first ever successful organization lead by Cesar Chavez and his vision towards a better life for all farmworkers for generations to come. Viewers can also make a more profound connection of sympathy just by listening to family members of just how they lost everything back in Arizona including the farm and unfortunately had no other option except to migrate to for a better life. However, the State of California during the 1960’s was no promise land which was also immersed in unforgettable change. The Civil Rights movement of the South with the treatment of African-American community during the 60’s had eventually made its way out to the West Coast. The fight for Civil Rights took on a more profound struggle within the agricultural business of white farmers which was built upon the generations of cheap laborers ranging from the Chinese, Filipinos, Okies, Mexicans, and Chicanos.
These individuals are the Braceros. They enter the United States lawfully and are well regarded by Anglo’s for their hard work and trade. However, these individuals are not liked Mexican Americans as it is believed by Merchant’s that they will take the money they gain from their employment back home with them instead of buying things while they are in Texas, thereby hindering the local economy. Also, domestic employees oppose the employment of Braceros in Texas because the believe the Braceros present a threat to their being able to make a living for themselves as well as their