Middleman minority
Encyclopedia
Middleman minority, also known as 'market-dominant minorities'
, is a term used to describe (originally immigrant) minority populations that while victim to discrimination do not hold an "extreme subordinate" status in society.
There are numerous examples of such groups gaining eventual prosperity in their adopted country despite discrimination. Often, they will take on roles between producer and consumer, such as trading and moneylending. Such examples include Jews
, Irish
, and Italians in early New York City
and other parts of the USA in the 19th century, Azerbaijanis
in Iran
, ethnic Chinese
throughout Southeast Asia
, Parsis in India
, Ibos
in Nigeria
, Marwaris
in Burma, Jews
in the Ottoman Empire
, Jews in some parts of Europe post WWII, Southern
and Eastern Europeans in the West in the 19th century and early 20th century, people from the Soviet Blocs in the USA during the Cold War
, and many others.
Stereotypically, middleman minorities are thrifty and save a large portion of their incomes, and have limited interaction with the native population in a country. Education is highly valued by most of these peoples. These groups usually become the most successful ethnic groups in a society soon after they immigrate, even though they are often poor when they first arrive. Middleman minorities usually provide an economic benefit to communities and nations and often start new industries. However, their financial success, clannishness,common prejudices and paranoia against businesses and moneylending among other groups, and often disproportionate representation in universities and some technical positions can cause resentment among the native population of a country. Middleman Minorities can be victims of violence, genocide, pogroms, or other forms of repression. Other ethnic groups often accuse them of plotting conspiracies against their nation or of stealing wealth from the native population.
World on Fire
World On Fire: How Exporting Free Market Democracy Breeds Ethnic Hatred and Global Instability is a 2002 book published by Yale Law School professor Amy Chua...
, is a term used to describe (originally immigrant) minority populations that while victim to discrimination do not hold an "extreme subordinate" status in society.
There are numerous examples of such groups gaining eventual prosperity in their adopted country despite discrimination. Often, they will take on roles between producer and consumer, such as trading and moneylending. Such examples include Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
, Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, and Italians in early New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and other parts of the USA in the 19th century, Azerbaijanis
Azerbaijani people
The Azerbaijanis are a Turkic-speaking people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as in the neighbourhood states, Georgia, Russia and formerly Armenia. Commonly referred to as Azeris or Azerbaijani Turks , they also live in a wider area from the Caucasus to...
in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, ethnic Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
throughout Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
, Parsis in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Ibos
Ibos
Igbos may refer to:* The Igbo or Ibo people, an ethnic group of Nigeria* Ibos, a commune of the Hautes-Pyrénées département, in southwestern France, in karpatien central europa,...
in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, Marwaris
Marwaris
Marwari or Marwadi or Rajasthani people are Indian ethnic group, that inhabit the Rajasthan region of India. Their language Rajasthani is a part of the western group of Indo-Aryan languages....
in Burma, Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
in the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, Jews in some parts of Europe post WWII, Southern
Southern Europe
The term Southern Europe, at its most general definition, is used to mean "all countries in the south of Europe". However, the concept, at different times, has had different meanings, providing additional political, linguistic and cultural context to the definition in addition to the typical...
and Eastern Europeans in the West in the 19th century and early 20th century, people from the Soviet Blocs in the USA during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, and many others.
Stereotypically, middleman minorities are thrifty and save a large portion of their incomes, and have limited interaction with the native population in a country. Education is highly valued by most of these peoples. These groups usually become the most successful ethnic groups in a society soon after they immigrate, even though they are often poor when they first arrive. Middleman minorities usually provide an economic benefit to communities and nations and often start new industries. However, their financial success, clannishness,common prejudices and paranoia against businesses and moneylending among other groups, and often disproportionate representation in universities and some technical positions can cause resentment among the native population of a country. Middleman Minorities can be victims of violence, genocide, pogroms, or other forms of repression. Other ethnic groups often accuse them of plotting conspiracies against their nation or of stealing wealth from the native population.
See also
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12315137
- http://continuinged.ku.edu/is/previews/soc/soc534_lesson.html
- http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=Zu3POdhC0yIC&dq=Middleman+Minority&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=sia0OgqVOK&sig=8J2rGM2QasxWDpL75g--UHq_qJw&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=7&ct=result