Systemic exclusion and racial barriers
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Punjabi workers in British Columbia and California faced numerous challenges from white workers, business owners and governments during the early 20th century, which made their integration into society extremely difficult. One major obstacle was the widespread racial discrimination and hostility they encountered. As Ward notes, at the beginning of the 20th century, East Asians "comprised less than half of one percent of the provincial population" (p. 2). This small presence was met with resistance, as many Canadians and Americans at the time refused to believe that Punjabis could ever truly integrate into their societies. The mindset of the time, as expressed in the statement "It is impossible to make Canadians out of immigrants whose customs, traditions, and habits form an insurmountable barrier between them and the Canadianization" (p. 12), clearly illustrates the prevailing attitude. This deeply entrenched view created a formidable barrier that prevented many Indians from being accepted into mainstream Canadian and American culture. Another significant challenge was the economic exploitation of Punjabi workers, who were often paid considerably less than their white counterparts. They earned only "half or two-thirds" of what white workers made for the same job, which placed them in precarious financial situations. Their willingness to accept any available work, even under harsh and low-paying conditions, was driven by the need to send money back to their families in India. This led to their being hired for intermittent, hard, and poorly compensated jobs, which further impeded their ability to establish stable lives in their new countries. The work they found was typically menial, contributing to their social and economic marginalization. The public perception of Punjabi workers was further reinforced by negative stereotypes. In 1906, when a large group of Indian immigrants arrived, they were depicted as "villains" and as "a lesser breed of man." This stigmatization led to further hostility and discrimination, exacerbating the difficulties they faced in finding employment or being treated fairly in their workplaces. This view of Punjabis as "other" was also supported by influential figures like W.D. Scott, who argued that it would be "charitable" to send East Asians back to their homeland because the "shock" of adapting to a new climate and customs would be too overwhelming for them. This type of rhetoric reinforced the notion that Punjabis were incapable of fully integrating into North American society and contributed to the systemic exclusion they experienced. Furthermore, this exclusion is further illustrated in Leonards work, who depicts how punjabis faced a racial environment in California that was characterized by exclusion, such as not being able to marry a white person, stereotyping, and economic exploitation. These challenges significantly affected their ability to integrate into the broader society, limiting their opportunities for upward mobility and contributing to their social isolation.In summary, Punjabi workers in both British Columbia and California were subject to racial hostility, economic exploitation, and widespread social exclusion. They faced discriminatory attitudes that undermined their ability to integrate and thrive in their new environment. As a result, many were trapped in low-wage jobs and struggled to overcome the barriers created by both institutionalized and social racism. The combination of these factors made it incredibly difficult for them to establish themselves or be treated as equals in their countries.