Tradition, assimilation and response to homelands politics: A comparative study of Italian and Chinese immigrants in New York City, 1890-1965

This study embodies both an effort to link the experience of Chinese immigrants to that of European immigrants and an endeavor to explore the impact of the immigrants' tradition on their adjustment patterns in American society. By comparing the experiences of Italian and Chinese immigrants in New York City (1890-1965), this study reveals that the two immigrant groups shared a similar experience, involving the early arrivals' "sojourner" mentality, the perseverance of many old-world traits, and the existence of secret societies.; The differences between the two groups were mostly expressed in the degrees to which old-world traits dominated: among the Chinese the "sojourner" mentality lasted longer and group cohesiveness remained stronger and more significant than among the Italians. In addition, the Chinese joined the mainstream of the U.S. economy and began to show interest in American politics and the labor movement much later than the Italians.; Many of the reasons for these similarities and differences were rooted in the two immigrant groups' cultural backgrounds. Traditional ways of life made the southern Italian and Chinese peasants reluctant to emigrate, and, once they did immigrate to the U.S., anxious to return home. Various forms of group cohesiveness, after being transplanted to the New World, continued to function, preventing the immigrants' primary groups from disintegrating and providing fertile soil for the proliferation of old folk traditions. This group cohesiveness was also chiefly responsible for the survival and growth of secret societies.; Stronger and institutionalized clannishness and regionalism, economic autarchy, a lack of modern political procedure and indifference to institutionalized religion in Chinese tradition served to slow the assimilation process of Chinese immigrants more than Italian heritage did that of Italian immigrants. Moreover, due to a heritage of stronger group cohesiveness, Chinese immigrants responded to their homeland's politics more vigorously than did the Italians.