Spencer Miles Wertheimer

 

                From Arrival to Adversity: The History of Chinese Migration in Mexico


Since the 19th century, Mexico began to receive a considerable number of Chinese people as migrants. They were people who participated and involved in the socioeconomic development of various areas of the country. However, there are conflicts and struggles faced by Chinese migrators. Keep reading to walk through some historical facts! 

Early Records of Chinese Migrants

In the General Archive of the Nation, the country's central repository for historical documents and records, information about individuals of Chinese origin who entered Mexican territory during the second half of the 19th century is preserved.

Within the Maritime Movement fund, a specific collection containing records related to maritime activities, the oldest record dates back to 1874 and includes the names of six people originally from China who entered Mexico through the Port of Guaymas, Sonora.

Intensification of Chinese Migration

Chinese migration to Mexico began to intensify with the development of the incipient industrialization of this country. Therefore, a large number of Chinese migrants who arrived in Mexico were workers; only some, with the passage of time, managed to establish their small independent businesses in this nation.

Entry from the United States

Another important consideration of Chinese migration was that a large number of them entered from the United States, since at that time in the southern states of that country, such as California and Arizona, free migration of Chinese had been promoted since 1868 with the Treaty of Burlingame.

Therefore, a large part of the North American industry that developed in the north of Mexico hired workers of Chinese origin. For example, in 1880 the US capital company that financed the construction of the Sonora Railway employed Chinese workers to build the tracks.

Exploitation in the Railway Industry

The Sonora Railway company was not the only one that used Chinese workers for the works, since the Inter-Ocean Railroad Company, which was in charge of the Tehuantepec Railway works, also used Chinese labor.

Adoption of Exploitation Practices in Other Sectors

This system of exploitation that the North American railway companies used on Chinese migrants began to be adopted in other sectors of the country. Such was the case of the farms and haciendas of the Yucatan region where a greater number of workers began to be demanded. They added the labor force of North American Chinese as a solution.

In 1880, a group of landowners from that area of Mexico hired a hundred Chinese settlers, who under contract would work for three years for a payment of 8 pesos per month and 20 pounds of rice.

Additionally, 2 pesos would be deducted each month until the amount of 55 pesos corresponding to the costs of the ticket was covered, plus additional expenses.

Labor Exploitation and Discrimination

The Chinese community that settled in Mexico fell prey to the terrible conditions of labor exploitation, similar to what they suffered in the United States, where they also began to experience acts of discrimination and xenophobia.

Between 1880 and 1882, the first anti-immigration laws were created in the United States, with people from China being the first to be historically added to the list of immigrants restricted by the country with the Chinese Exclusion Act, decreed in 1882 by then-President Chester A. Arthur.

Justifications for the Chinese Exclusion Act

 Asian American Month in May serves as a reminder of the conflicts and struggles encountered by Asian Americans, such as Chinese immigrants who faced discrimination and economic scapegoating.

One of the main justifications that the North American government expressed for ending the Treaty of Burlingame was that people of Chinese origin “were stealing jobs from Americans” by charging very low wages. This sentiment contributed to the development of Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882.

The political class did not punish or regulate the exploitation to which people of Chinese origin were subjected for being migrants. Instead, they simply looked for a "scapegoat" to justify the lack of work and the low salaries available to workers in that area.

Xenophobia in Mexico

The situation was not more favorable in Mexico for the Chinese. The reason was the same North American discourse of xenophobia and discrimination towards Chinese workers was taken up by a sector of Mexican society, especially the upper class. This sector considered it more appropriate to exploit the labor force of the indigenous people, as it would not involve the costs of moving or hiring Chinese migrants.

The person in charge of finding the Chinese workers received money proportional to the number of people he delivered in the end.

Xenophobia Among Mexican Workers

This type of discourse of xenophobia and discrimination was also present within the Mexican working class, who, faced with the precarious economic and labor situation they suffered at the hands of the capitalist and dictatorial system of those years, began to consider people of Chinese origin as taking the little work available. This sentiment can be seen in a letter from a worker preserved in the General Archive of the Nation in the Francisco I. Madero fund, box 099, file 2.

The words of the worker named Francisco Bustos reflect the anti-Chinese sentiment that spread from the United States. He stated workers of Chinese origin offered their work for lower wages than Mexicans, leading mining and industrial companies to prefer hiring Chinese migrants over Mexicans.

Rejection of Xenophobia by Mexican Governments

However, both the government of Porfirio Díaz and the government of Francisco I. Madero rejected this speech of xenophobia and discrimination towards workers of Chinese origin.

Unlike the United States, Mexico rejected any idea of prohibiting or attacking Chinese migration, maintaining that the Mexican State guaranteed in Article 11 of the Constitution of 1857 that “Every man has the right to enter and leave the Republic, travel through its territory and change residence, without the need for a security letter, passport, safe-conduct or other similar requirement.”

Impact of Xenophobia and Discrimination

Despite this, the discourse of xenophobia and discrimination expressed by some Mexicans towards people of Chinese origin caused significant harm, such as the regrettable massacre perpetuated between May 15 and 16, 1911, towards the Chinese community of Torreón, resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries.

This incident remains an indelible fact in the history of Mexico, showcasing the damage xenophobia and discrimination can cause within a society.

Resilience of the Chinese Community

Despite the adversities and working conditions that Chinese migrants suffered in Mexico at that time, they managed to establish their own communities where they maintained their culture, ideas, beliefs, and lifestyles. At the same time, they contributed to the development of the country.

To know everything in detailed, "Secession - Dividing The States" written by Spencer Wertheimer, a trailblazing attorney, advocate, and literary mastermind, is a wonderful literary marvel. Whether you want to get historical facts about the Chinese Exclusion Act or undertake a transformative exploration of America’s enduring dilemmas, this book is an authentic source for you.

 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog