Immigrants as scapegoats

[*bfine32*]

(12-26-2018, 08:51 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: So, there is a theory in sociology that is used to try to explain prejudice called the scapegoat theory. It isn't 100% correct for a number of reasons that I won't get into, but the gist is that people will blame another group for their woes and so that fosters this prejudice. Another theory is based on conflict, and that the elites promote this prejudice to benefit themselves.

This isn't to deny that immigration has been an issue for many years, but the interesting thing to think about is how in certain populist movements there have been efforts by populist leaders to focus attention of their followers onto a demographic group to blame for their ills. We've seen this all throughout history where a racial, ethnic, or national group or groups are used as scapegoats to create a foil. This is often used to distract from the growing socioeconomic differences between those in power and the rest of the population. The rich get richer on the backs of the poor while they convince the poor that another group of poor people are to blame. They are taking their jobs, their benefits, etc.

In actuality, poor people that are a part of the majority have more in common with the poor people in the minority group being used as a scapegoat than they do with those that they are being manipulated by.

Just some interesting thoughts.

I've mentioned something similar before as to why suicides rates are much higher for white males.

They have no one to blame for their failures.