Is Multiculturalism Contribut Essay, Research Paper

Is Multiculturalism Contributing a

Stronger or Weaker Australia?

I do believe that multiculturalism is contributing a stronger Australia.

Definition of Multiculturalism

Generally, multiculturalism is the idea of diversity of cultural and ethnic. While the term multiculturalism is used to describe the situation in Australia, it can be regarded as notion of Australia is, and will remain, a culturally diverse country and seeks to ensure that the diversity is a positive force in our society. Also, it means that the Commonwealth Government will encourage greater toleration and free expression of the many cultures in Australia.

Multicultural Policies

Indeed, whether or not multiculturalism will unify or divide Australia is a contentious question. However, from the policies which adopted by the government, we can see that multiculture is the trend of Australia nowadays.

The Commonwealth Government has introduced many multicultural policies. In 1989, it has endorsed the principles of the 1989 National Agenda for a Multicultural Australia.

Multicultural Background

Australia is the first country to adopt a official policy to prohibit the coloreds immigrate to Australia. However, it is one of the world s countries which has the most races now. Among its population of nineteen million, there are immigrants from 150 different regions.

Reasons cause Multiculturalism

The main reason causes multiculture is immigration. Immigrants are people who have come to live permanently in Australia from foreign countries. They have different religions, languages, customs, histories and education backgrounds with the people whom in Australia. The immigrants brought many different cultures to Australia, and these made Australia become a multicultural country.

Advantages of Multiculturalism

i) When the people immigrate to Australia, they were also bringing their talents, skills and capital to the country, which are of great potential benefit. They have provided a good source of labor force that are skilled and with no cost of training. Also, many immigrant entrepreneurs use their talents and capital to set up businesses in Australia and gaining great success. These had provided more job opportunities for the Australians and strengthen the economy.

Some people argue that the immigrants may abuse the welfare system, and these will increase the burden of society. But in fact, the immigrants are seldom seeking help from the Welfare Department. It is because besides the family reunion and refugees, the immigrants are usually well qualified and the possession of qualifications is positively useful to Australia.

ii) The widely use of many different languages such as Chinese, Arabic, German, Italian, Spanish, and so on have benefit the Australian trade and tourism. In the past, people who spoke languages other than English were often regarded as disadvantaged . But now, people who can speak languages other than English are no longer regarded as disadvantaged but advantaged .

The government has treated the language maintenance as creating an asset, rather than as a right of immigrants. A large part of Australian trade and a growing part of its tourist industry are now concerned with those of non-British culture and orientation.

iii) The inflow of plural cultures has provided many positive influences to the Australians. This interflow of knowledge can widen our horizons. For example, we can appreciate more kinds of arts from different countries. We can have more ethnic catering. And there is associated entertainment serves to remind Australians of how limited their leisure lives were in the past.

iv) Another strong reason for us to support Multiculturalism is that it can make our society more harmonious and united. If we do not understand and accept the immigrants cultures and try to assimilate them, bad effects may emerged. Under assimilation, immigrants will feel isolated, they may risked being abused in the street or even punched in a pub for speaking their own language. The result was high rates of emotional depression in migrant communities and these will harm the harmony of the country.

Facts about Multiculturalism

Culture is part of personality. It is not possible to shed one s culture like you shed a suit of clothes. If we can accept and interflow with the immigrants culture, then they will feel that the country is care and respect them. Then they will feel they are belong to the country and more united. Under such harmony condition, Australia can become a stronger country.

Some people claim that the commitment of immigrants to Australia will be weaker than that of real Australians . However, almost all Australians, whether born here or not, have some sense of dual identity. Think how many people value their Irish, Scots or English heritage: nobody suggests that this lower their Australian-ness ,so why should it be different with Australians of Chinese, Indian or Filipino background?

The Bureau of Immigration Research finds that most migrants promptly take up Australian citizenship, which indicates how readily they commit themselves to Australia. So, based on the above reasons, I do believe that Multiculturalism is contributing a stronger Australia instead of a weaker one.

Conclusion

Multiculturalism is not simply about minority languages and culture. It is also about access to public services and equity in the allocation of public funds. It is concerned with the social position of cultural minorities and their protection from discrimination and vilification. Essentially multiculturalism is the basis for a harmonious and equitable society.