AHC: No Chinese Exclusion Act

d32123

Banned
Going around San Francisco today had me thinking, is there a way to avoid the Chinese Exclusion Act from getting passed?
 
Not really, no.

It could certainly be CALLED something different, but the amount of outrage over chinese coming over and doing honest, hard working* white men out of a job, means some remedy will be implemented.

--
* "honest" and "hard working" being relative terms, of course.





This isnt at an asb level, but it is very improbable, imo.
 

Wolfpaw

Banned
Fewer Chinese in Mexico, perhaps some more in California.

I mean, shit, in 1924 Chinese were declared "racially ineligible" for citizenship anyways, so it's not like more of them will change anything.
 
Fewer Chinese in Mexico, perhaps some more in California.

I mean, shit, in 1924 Chinese were declared "racially ineligible" for citizenship anyways, so it's not like more of them will change anything.
Ineligible in Mexico or the USA? Also what are the comparisons of Chinese immigration between Mexico and the US? I wasn't even aware of large chinese immigrations to Mexico.
 

Wolfpaw

Banned
Ineligible in Mexico or the USA?
USA. I don't know about Mexico, but they don't have a very nice history towards their Chinese.
Also what are the comparisons of Chinese immigration between Mexico and the US? I wasn't even aware of large chinese immigrations to Mexico.
A lot of Chinese snuck into Mexico to get into the US after the Exclusion Act; some stuck around to build the railroads in Mexico.

The Chinese were starkly ostracized in Mexican society, perhaps even more so than in America. Unlike in America--where they were typically left to their own devices--most Chinese in Mexico wound up being forced to assimilate.
 
USA. I don't know about Mexico, but they don't have a very nice history towards their Chinese.
A lot of Chinese snuck into Mexico to get into the US after the Exclusion Act; some stuck around to build the railroads in Mexico.

The Chinese were starkly ostracized in Mexican society, perhaps even more so than in America. Unlike in America--where they were typically left to their own devices--most Chinese in Mexico wound up being forced to assimilate.
Which Mexican states did they mostly live in and could you explain to me what factors where involved that made chinese assimilation more forced in Mexico than the US?
 
Which Mexican states did they mostly live in and could you explain to me what factors where involved that made chinese assimilation more forced in Mexico than the US?

Most Asian (mostly Chinese and Filipino but were essentially all lumped together and considered "chinos") immigration into Mexico was centered around Acapulco and Mexico City.

Historically, Asian presence in Mexico goes back to the viceroyalty; the "Nao China" traded between Acapulco, Manila and Fujian. The population in this time was mostly male and merchant class. So there was a decent Chinese presence in both Acapulco and Mexico City until independence when trade stopped due to the subsequent chaos. Most populations left behind, either fled back to Asia, or assimilated.

An interesting note, is that during this time there was not casta designation for any person of Asian decent. The famous "castes" of New Spain represented only the subjects of the Spanish Crown and where the fit into society; the Chinese were not considered Spanish subjects, regardless of geographic birth.

The second "wave" came during the late 1800s, as with the USA. For the most part these were only sneaking in with hopes of getting into the US. But this was easier said than done. Those stuck in Mexico (once again for the most part in the Pacific Coast), tried taking trade jobs like barbers and craftsmen - a few laws were passed during the Porfiriato to prevent them from taking these jobs from Mexicans - in writing the laws were similar in harshens to those passed in the USA, but like most laws in Mexico and New Spain they tend to work differently in practice than they do in writing. In the end, the Chinese population of Mexico was never really big - nor concentrated - and it was ultimately assimilated and forgotten not out of legal pressure, since most laws were meant to keep them aside not assimilate them, but social pressure. Most Filipinos and a few Chinese could pass as "Indian" and thus "Mexican" if they knew good enough Spanish. By acting as such they could avoid some discrimination; they would obviously still be considered "Indios" which wasn't - and still isn't - the best position one could have in Mexico.
 
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