Takaki Ch.10, Pacific Crossings

The story of “Pacific Crossing” develops from the Japanese immigration to America in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Much like the African Americans the Japanese came to America by being pushed by external forces. They came here for the promise of higher wages through agriculture and the ability to develop a family farm in the new prosperous nation. Yet as they soon learned it was merely that, instead it was comparable to slave labor. It was difficult for them to combine the two cultures and remain equal to the dominate whit culture in America.
Takaki questioned the treatment of the new Japanese laborers. Stating that it was no different than another form of slavery, barley legal yet widely accepted; especially in the islands of Hawaii. In the 1800’ thousands of Japanese laborers, most with a farming background, flocked to America because of the higher wages that were offered. The came to realize the extent of their labor and began fighting for equality. Other races joined the immigration hunt for higher wages. When the Philippine people came across the pacific they began working harder and receiving higher wage as a result. The dominant work force of the Japanese then began to revolt and strike. The efforts of the strikes created a spark in the movement against the fight for equality. They began to receive higher wage rates and a greater standard of living. After several years of settlement the Japanese came to realize that they developed new lives on the land and nearly half decided to stay and pursue their life in America.
I argue against Takakis belief of being related to slavery. These people came to America expecting the conditions of the farming life. They new it was competitive and it was no choice to them than to take the increased pay for harsher working environment. These views are still apparent in today’s economy and business world. It was a matter of business and the all mighty dollar which forced the dominate white culture to have less than adequate working conditions for their employees. The Japanese began to understand these concepts and worked continue to pioneer the revolution of inequality. Yet it is visible of these same practices today especially, in capitalistic societies.
It was interesting to see a culture take a stand against the dominate culture on their homeland. By overpowering the dominate culture by shear numbers they were able to set standards on their own standard of living. They continued to persistent through constant struggle of inequality and little by little they were able to overcome their past.