history essay 1880 to the present day

Usman Akram Centre number: 13411

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Referring to the period 1880-to the present day why do people migrate to Britain

Using the opinions of the Jewish, Spanish, Japanese and Asian’s I will investigate the reason for migration to Britain between the periods of 1880 to the present day. People from these different countries and cultures helped to create the foundations of the country we know today. Some have stayed for only a short while or they move and others have made homes here. Those that settle are called immigrants. To migrate means to leave one place or country and settle in another.

There are different ways of classifying why people move to a place. Historians call them “Push and Pull factors”. A “Push” factor is something, which forces people to leave their homeland, e.g. flooding or unemployment. A “Pull” factor is something about their destination that attracts people, it pulls them there i.e. they may be attracted by the employment chances or by better accommodation i.e. living standards. Immigrants may have encountered prejudice and discrimination but has gone on to settle and establish communities. A vast amount of Asian people have migrated in Britain this is because of ‘push and pull factors’, conditions in Asian countries was poor e.g. war, terror and flooding, so and people have come to Britain for a better life this being an example of a ‘push’ factor. The Asians have also migrated to Britain for more opportunities in the business world i.e. employment chances. Life in Asia didn’t give as many opportunities back in 1880 or to the present day.

Over the centuries immigrants have influenced every aspect of life in Britain from clothes, food and language, to religion and politics. Curry, Italian Pizza, smoked salmon and fried fish have all been introduced by people from overseas and are now part of a British diet. Immigration has continued largely because of Britain's appeal as a place of security and opportunity.

An up-and-coming community of Jewish people had lived in Britain since the 17th century. They had become a part of British life. They kept their religious and cultural traditions alive and made a contribution to social, economic and political life in Britain. Thousands of Jewish people migrated to Britain after 1880. They left the Russian Empire and Eastern Europe because they wanted to escape persecution and find easier life abroad. Jews in Russia were often the victims of savage attacks and laws passed the government made it difficult for Jews to earn a living there. A small number of Jewish people continued to immigrate to Britain throughout the 19th century. They came because of the ‘Push’ of having a better life Britain escaping attacks they were suffering because of their religion.

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In 1881 the lives of Russian Jews worsened after they were blamed for the assassination of Tsar. Their religion was different, and usually strictly observed. Their first language was Yiddish, not Russian or Polish. Their children were banned from many schools, and they had little communication with their Christian neighbours. In 1882, May laws against them were enforced. Some of these Mays laws were: “Jews were only allowed to live in towns, not in countryside’s; Jewish workers and craftsmen could only work in certain areas and not own mines or work as miners. They were restricted in education, working and living in cities and towns. Jews could only make up 5% of all students in university; Jews were progressively forced out of their villages and into towns where they competed for a limited number of jobs and often lived in poor and overcrowded conditions;” (1) Those who were allowed to remain on the land usually had to scratch a living from small farms. Stories of wealth and a better living were heard from existing migrants; as there was access to the USA and the rest of the world. The Jews saw it as a perfect opportunity to make a more superior living.

Another reason for their outflow was that the numbers of Jews in Russia grew and were restricted in earning a living because of the May laws passed. These laws had a major impact upon Jews living since both education and work was affected. But it was persecution that increased the flow of Jews into Britain, Western Europe and North America. The May laws did not drive all the Jews from Russia, 76,000 remained but they had extremely small farms. The Jews were driven from agriculture so they turned to trade. The popular trades were tailoring, shoe making, baking, butchering and metalworking. These jobs required considerable strength and little money. Life in Russia for Jews was hard. In Russia, Jews were hated because of their beliefs. Russia was on thin ice in 1905, as they tried to get people on their side for a war with Japan, but it didn’t work. So they tried to play the Jewish card, this meant, the Russians used the Jews for political aims. An example of this is using them as ‘scapegoats’ by blaming them when there was political uproar.

There were several reasons why migration continued after 1905. The Aliens act passed in Britain in 1905 meant that, there was support for the Act from the Jews. It eased overcrowding and competition for work. The act stated that those without money or a way of supporting themselves were not allowed into Britain. However, a number of Jewish immigrants were dropped, perhaps due to the reason that they failed to complete paperwork

The circumstances of the next major wave of Jewish migrants to leave Europe for England in the 1930s were very different. The Jews of Germany and Austria were educated and important members of society. They mixed freely with their neighbours, many had fought as soldiers in WW1, and they were generally successful and well respected. The Nazi party's rise to power, and Adolph Hitler's appointment as German Chancellor in 1933, had disastrous effects for Jews in Germany. Their rights were restricted; they were subjected to humiliation and brutality, and were increasingly isolated from normal community life. This was known as fascism.

To obtain a British visa you needed a job or a sponsor in Britain. Desperate advertisements appeared in the Jewish Chronicle and other newspapers in Britain appealing for work. Many women were admitted to Britain on domestic visas and employed by British families as cooks or housekeepers, although they were often highly educated and from professional backgrounds.

In November 1938 the Nazis launched an attack against Jews. Jewish shops and businesses were attacked, and thousands of Jews arrested and sent to prison or camps. The desire to leave Germany became even stronger. In all, 50,000 adults were admitted to Britain as refugees between 1933 and 1939. The British Jewish community got together to offer financial and practical support. A number of organisations in England tried hard to help Jewish suffering at the hands of the Nazis.

After WW1 many refugees came to Britain because their homes had been destroyed and were seeking better life overseas. The Japanese people came to Britain because they wanted to invest in the ship building trade. The short-term effect was it progressed Britain’s industrial ship building trade.

Another group that migrated was the Spanish. They arrived as the 1936 civil war had caused many interruptions and disagreement between religious groups. Spanish Catholics found hope and freedom in Britain because they didn’t endure the conditions of war in Britain. The move was a strange one because the immigrants did not know if this move was of any benefit.

There were two major reasons for people immigrating to Britain after 1945. They came either as refugees from the war in Europe or they came from the British colonies to find work. The British government accepted both these groups, largely because there was a labour shortage after the war.

After the Second World War, millions of people had lost their homes because of bombing or fear for their lives. Towns and cities had been destroyed. A cold war had begun between communist Eastern Europe and the capitalist countries of Western Europe and the USA. Countries in Eastern Europe were taken over by communist governments in the west. Many people in Eastern Europe didn’t want to live under a communist government as they had very different ideas about equality and freedom.

The largest of the refugee groups to settle in Britain after 1945 was the Polish. In fact, many Poles were already in Britain after Hitler invaded and defeated Poland in 1939. 1 million Poles left Poland. A vast number came to Britain to fight against the Germans. After Poland became communist in 1945, many Poles decided to stay in Britain.

1947 was a historic time for India and Pakistan as they went through independence. Not everyone was pleased about the separation between the two countries. So people from both these nationalities decided to migrate to Britain as there was a greater opportunity for work and government benefits. Asian immigrants were already living in Britain so settling for them would be easier.

In 1968 the government began to see a large arrival of Kenyan Asians into Britain. The Kenyan’s were British Asian citizens living in Kenya yet they had British passports. The leader of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta introduced a policy which expelled all foreigners, including Asians from Kenya. Most of them then intended to come to Britain.

Despite coming from a variety of cultural and religious backgrounds, migrants from the Indian continent shared some common features. The vast majority were from agricultural backgrounds, which meant that they were used to the demanding physical work.

Small numbers of professionals, mainly doctors, businessmen or lawyers, had established themselves in Britain from the mid-19th century onwards. Britain’s post-war economic boom which lasted until the 1970s many jobs were available. Migrants from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh increased.

Some of the immigrants had professional qualifications. Many were doctors yet the majority of those who migrated were mostly unskilled. The majority of migrants from South Asia were from the north of the sub-continent: Gujarat and Punjab in India, Mirpur in Pakistan, and Sylhet in Bangladesh. Released soldiers mostly from Punjab and Gujarat arrived in Britain from the 1960s famously, were often cooks that worked on the ships. Many of them went on to work in the Indian restaurants which are very popular till today.

I have discussed various reasons for Jewish, Spanish, Japanese and Asian people to immigrate to Britain. I spoke about the change over time in the Jewish settlement. Before 1905 the reason for their move was persecution and discrimination but later it was mainly economic reasons. Different groups migrate for different reasons. The Spanish moved to escape war; however the Japanese were ‘pulled’ because they wanted to invest in the ship building trade. Mainly all groups share ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors. This was because mostly all groups were ‘pulled’ because of the attraction and opportunity in Britain. Most groups except for the Japanese were pushed as their country did not give them their full rights.

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(1) www.wikipedia.org