The Chinese Exclusion Act and the Model Minority
America has always had an estranged relationship with Asians. It manufactured the model minority myth, then banned Chinese immigration, setting back Asian Americans for decades. How does something that was on paper, praise, allow for the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act? Where did the model minority myth come from, what does it entail, and how does it affect AAPI youth today? Let’s explore the origins of the model minority myth and how it led to the prohibition of Chinese immigration to the United States.
Asian Americans started arriving in larger numbers to America during the California Gold Rush of the 1850s, taking up jobs in mines. They were considered hard workers, but the connotation of this perception was more alarming. People thought that Asians were much more obedient and willing to work even if they got half the compensation of their white counterparts. From this idea that Asians will work hard, sprung the idea that Asians will keep their heads down. This was the beginning of the model minority myth.
Since we know where the myth comes from, we can look at how it affected Chinese immigrants at the time. A lot of western white workers were fed up with Chinese Americans supposedly stealing their jobs, despite making up only 0.002% of the workforce. They were also frustrated that their bosses often hired Chinese immigrants because they were supposedly more obedient and harder working, often blaming said immigrants for a decline in wages.
Faced with a slew of mounting public pressure from Nativists and labor unions, the Federal Government proceeded to pass the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882. This act was passed due to animosity geared towards Chinese Americans, as they made up the brunt of the immigrant workforce in railroads and mines. What’s notable is the fact that this Act was one of the first bills that directly targeted immigrants’ ethnicity.
Now, how has this myth translated for current AAPI youth? There are higher expectations for those who are AAPI to be smart and obedient. Asian Americans are often passed off when it comes to leadership positions, as we are seen as better when we obey instead of command. This has led to undue stress for AAPI youth, who are often held to a higher caliber of academics than their peers. While it may sound nice to be assumed naturally smart, the model minority myth degenerates the hard work of Asian Americans who achieve success. It also diminishes Asian Americans like myself, who aren’t as good at traditional “Asian” subjects like math and science.
In conclusion, the Asian model minority myth is a detriment to the Asian community. We as Asians need to understand that this harmful myth not only hurts us but other people of color as well, as Asian success is often used to justify the nonexistence of racial barriers in the path to socioeconomic prosperity. The model minority myth on paper seems beneficial for Asian Americans. However, we only need to look at the Chinese Exclusion Act to see how quickly this perceived diligence can be used to bar us from participation in American life. The model minority myth is exactly that: a myth.
The Young Politicasian is a project of the High School Democrats of America Asian American Pacific Islander Caucus. Follow us on Instagram @hsda_aapi, join the caucus, and apply to be a staff writer. The opinions expressed in The Young Politicasian do not necessarily reflect those of the AAPI Caucus or the High School Democrats of America.
