Argument
At the dawn of the 19th century, Chinese immigrants were taken to America to work as agricultural labour and for the construction of railroads. Many of them came willingly in search of work and some of them were captured and brought on board. After completion of railroads, Americans believed that the newly unemployed Chinese workers would become their competition in the job market. In addition, with the lack of female Chinese immigrants, the Chinese males could entice white women. As a response, Americans started to develop stereotypes against the Chinese immigrants to ensure locals would learn to hate them. Over the years, the anti-Chinese sentiment started to sweep all across America, especially due to the creatively crafted political cartoons (Sharp N.pag). Natives embraced the stereotype as it protected their self-interest and ensured the Chinese immigrants were not able to compete with them in terms of jobs and any other way socially.
Political Cartoon Analysis
Cartoon # 1
This poster is an example of the Yellow Peril. It is one of the vintage posters that were used for stereotyping and demonizing the Chinese immigrants. Since, Chinese immigrants were males brought to work in agriculture and railroads. The poster demonized how Chinese males were a threat to white males and their entitlement to white women. The poster shows how a Chinese immigrant could take white women as they have no other option, due to the lack of Chinese females in America. The demonized look of the Chinese immigrant adds fuel to the thought and paints the immigrant as a peril to the American society (Sharp N.pag).
Cartoon # 2
This is another anti-Chinese immigrant poster that highlights how immigrants from other countries started to work and build a wall for keeping out the Chinese immigrants. Each brick carries a word and slates how work is being closed for the incoming Chinese immigrants. Each brick carried by immigrants from other countries mentions competition, fear, non-reciprocity, jealousy, anti-low wages, law against race, etc. These bricks signify the type of blockages that are being placed in front of Chinese immigrants and their presence in the American workforce (Sharp N.pag).
Impact of Stereotype
The political posters helped in stereotyping Chinese immigrants as wicked heroin addicts who smoked opium and encouraged gambling, prostitution and many other immoral activities. Several West coast cities witnessed riots where Asians were attacked by the white population and several Chinese towns were destroyed. In 1886, riots broke out in Seattle and the entire Chinese population was forced to move to San Francisco (Sharp N.pag). The anti-Chinese actions brought laws such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which limited immigration from China and other Asian countries. The law was condemned by the Chinese people as they considered it as racism. Chinese immigrants lived in a non-conducive environment where they were racially abused and were called stereotypical names such as Chinks. Due to the diverse look and complexion, the Chinese were treated as people who should not be in American anymore and their presence was not tolerated in different parts of America.
Conclusion
Chinese immigrants came to America to work on the railroads and agriculture, but after the completion of the railroad they ended up without any jobs. Understanding that Chinese workers could easily take the position of white men and take their jobs and women, a smear campaign was started against the Chinese immigrants. Through political posters they were stereotyped as people who smoked opium and supported several immoral activities.
Works Cited
Sharp., G. Old “Yellow Peril” Anti-Chinese Propaganda. The Society Pages. thesocietypages.org. 20 June 2014. Web. 17 February 2016.
