Ethnic Minorities

Question 1

2011 census

Answer 1

87.1% white population
12.9 % ethnic minorities
- mixed: 2%
- Indian: 2.3%
- Pakistani: 1.9%
- Bangladeshi: 0.7%
- Black British and Afro-Caribbean: 3%
- Chinese: 0.7%
- Other: 2.3%

Question 2

Reasons for immigration

Answer 2

• religious and political persecution
• trade, business and employment

Question 3

Reasons for immigration

Answer 3

• religious and political persecution
• trade, business and employment

Question 4

Immigration Impact on British society

Answer 4

• contributed to financial institutions, commerce, industry and agriculture
• influenced artistic, cultural and political developments
• but: immigrant activity and success have also resulted in jealousy, discrimination and violence from the indigenous population

Question 5

Immigration from 1900

Answer 5

• early 20th century: Jews and Poles escaped persecution Eastern Europe
• 1930s: people from Nazi-occupied Europe

later in the 20th century:
- political refugees from Hungary, Czech Republic, Chile, Iran Vietnam, Eastern Europe and Asians living in East Africa
- economic immigrants from France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Ireland, Cyprus, China, Spain and the Commonwealth - such newcomers have often suffered from discrimination

• before 2WW: from largely Old Commonwealth
• from the late 1940s: from non-white New Commonwealth (India, Pakistan, the West Indies) > filled lower paid jobs
  West Indians: public transport, catering, National Health Service in London
  Indians, Pakistanis: textile and iron industries of Bradford, Leeds, Leicester

Question 6

Immigrant’s situation today

Answer 6

• non-white communities have now increased; work in a broad range of occupation
• Indian Asians and Chinese: successful in economic and professional terms
• Bangladeshis, some West Indians and Pakistani: problems with lower paid jobs, unemployment, educational disadvantages, decaying housing in the inner cities, isolation, discrimination - possible reason: a deep-rooted racism based on the legacy of the empire and the belief in racial superiority of the British
• increasing tensions between non-white ethnic groups
• many non-white immigrants and their British-born children have slowly adapted and retain their ethic identities
• Britain has the highest rate of intermarriage and mixed relationships in Europe