“Buying American” – Anti-Globalists and Discrimination

The United States of America; home to fast food, football, and free speech. Many people in struggling foreign nations put the U.S.A. on a pedestal - frequently regarding it as a place where they can start over. Unfortunately, some Americans are not eager to open their homes to people who are fleeing theirs. Discrimination towards immigrants and migrants in the workforce, especially those from Latin America, is evidence for this.  American companies frequently open branches and chains abroad for the cheaper labor, provoking those in the “Buy American” movement – who want businesses to be in America, sell American-made goods to Americans, and hire Americans. With the emphasis on “America first” comes the unmentioned (but ever-present) implication that people (and goods) from foreign countries are worth less to America than “true” Americans.

Before we can discuss this implication, however, it is necessary to explore what assists in driving it – the “Buy American” movement and something that started centuries ago – globalization. America officially “joined” the world the moment that Christopher Columbus laid eyes upon it, after which it forayed into trading. That being said, modern America did not voluntarily enter the worldwide web of trade routes until shortly after the American Revolution. The United States was eager to join Europe in being a world power, and one of the ways it rose to the top was through increasing trade. As an increasing number of American goods and resources ended up in foreign markets, a massive amount of foreign products began to appear in America. American companies had to compete with the world, so they had to use the workers with the cheapest wages. After workers’ rights developed locally, that source was no longer in the country – but across the seas, driving the rise of capitalism around the world.     

Many American businesses opened branches in foreign nations, granting countless jobs to foreign workers – jobs that the American people realized they needed. Finding employment began to become a problem, as the realization came that there were too many people and not enough jobs. Thus, the “Buy American” movement was born. Supporters of this movement claim (perhaps not incorrectly) that by keeping businesses in America, jobs would be kept in America - giving the American economy a much-needed boost. Additionally, “Buy Americans” believe that, as a world power, the United States of America should be autonomous – it should not need goods from elsewhere to function. They think that America should separate itself from other nations regarding trade to avoid politics affecting the economy. In its very essence, this movement is anti-globalist. With this comes a growing number of Americans who are considering closing borders in addition to trade routes. This type of thinking is what has led to a surge in discrimination towards immigrants and migrants – like Latin Americans.

(Chart from npr.org)

As shown in the above chart, 33% of the Latinos polled said that they experienced discrimination when trying to apply for jobs, and 32% experienced discrimination in positions they already held. One in three people is a large ratio – especially considering that this poll was taken in 2017. Since then, Latinos have had even more attention thrust at them, due to illegal border crossings being a central theme of the newest presidential campaign, and the discriminatory assumption that “every” Latino could be an “illegal alien.” It can’t be a coincidence that another “theme” of the newest American President’s campaign is making America’s economy more autonomous – through his direct support and continued expansion of the “Buy American” movement. President Trump has, recently, been attempting to expand the “Buy American Act” by drafting an executive order that will require most government-funded infrastructure to use materials made in America. This is the same man who has continuously insulted Latinos since he took office. He has been recorded being extremely racist towards Latin Americans in both small interviews and massive rallies. His words have been backed by his actions – such as the removal of the DACA program (which protected Latinos who had been brought to the States as children) and the increasing deportations.

The President of the United States is supposed to be an example – a role model – to the American people. By discriminating against Latinos and simultaneously supporting the “Buy American” movement (along with the “Hire American” movement, which is precisely what it sounds like), President Trump is indirectly (and sometimes directly) asserting that Latin Americans are not Americans and should not be hired. While most Americans are disgusted by this and protest regularly, a concerningly-large percentage is not – they have absorbed his message. The statistics presented in the above chart can defend this statement.

The current administration of the United States is trying to close America off to other countries (one of President Trump’s leading promises was to build a wall between the U.S.A. and Mexico). The United States is a world power, with constant technological advancements in places like Silicon Valley and a strong presence in the United Nations. The Human Development Index of America is also higher than most of Latin America’s nations – meaning that the average American can be considered at least slightly better off than someone living in Latin America. Although this is a general number and does not take race or location into effect, the fact that the HDI in the U.S.A. is high is essential. It reflects a standard of living that most other nations, and people, do not have. But why are HDIs so different around the world? The answer to this stems from a history of colonialism. The world’s resources are finite, and the countries that claim the most for themselves usually end up on top. Through colonialism, developed countries have expropriated resources from developing countries – putting them further back while furthering their own development. Effectively, many of the countries with lower HDIs had the short end of the stick in colonialism. Developed countries can be blamed for the state of the countries who are deemed as still developing. Although it is true that America did not colonize Latin America itself, its status as a world power groups it with the nations that did form colonies there. And thus, the U.S.A. should be opening its doors to Latin America and aiding its people as retribution for our part in their current predicament. People rarely want to flee their native country, but due to the interference of world powers all of those years ago, developing countries are predisposed to have less opportunities than developed countries. Forcing Latin Americans out of our country (or preventing them from entering it in the first place) is inhumane considering countries like ours are indirectly responsible for their situation. However, the rising wave of Latin American discrimination, tied with movements like “Buy American,” have blinded many to this, as these people champion closing both our borders and our hearts.

In conclusion, this all connects back to globalization. Some Americans want to pull away from the world and isolate the nation (mostly on an economic level) – not appreciating how interconnected the world has become. Other Americans embrace this interconnectedness – embracing globalization. Trade is a vital part of globalization – it allows nations to benefit from each other. It’s true that most Americans aren’t discriminatory or nationalists, just as it’s true that not all Latin American countries are struggling. It’s impossible to determine how globalization is directly impacting the world, as it affects everyone differently. Some countries benefit from it; some don’t. Some countries desire it; some don’t. Globalization pulls some nations apart and forces others together – and the people within each nation do not all feel the same about this.