Latinos and the American Working Class
“I don’t pity any man who does hard work worth doing. I admire him. I pity the creature who does not work, at whichever end of the social scale he may regard himself as being.” — Theodore Roosevelt
I am a Latino. Actually, that’s only a half-truth. I am half-Latino and half-White. I am a first-generation Latino. My dad is an immigrant and also, by definition, a refugee from Central America. Being a multiethnic male offers me a perspective that has situated me between two proverbial worlds. I am not speaking for all Latinos or all White Americans, nor am I heavily relying on my “lived experience.” Rather, my ideas expressed herein are a composite of various observations. Many have asked if I have ever felt that I needed to choose one race/ethnicity over the other. I have never felt this. During late adolescence and young adulthood, I had an exploratory and introspective reckoning in which I became quite clear and confident in my cultural identity. This confidence has, in some ways, provided me the cultural currency to consider various perspectives and lenses.
Latinos fall under the taxonomy of an ethnicity. A casual definition of an ethnicity is that it is a catch all term to describe various population groups that fit under common cultural themes such as music, language, food, etc. This is juxtaposed with race which is commonly understood as a mixture of physical and cultural norms of a population group. Many people argue about these definitions or even if they exist. My aim is not to have that debate, although it is important.
Latin America is a combination of at least 22 countries across the western hemisphere and also includes Spain. While the Spanish language is the more predominant language, there are variable differences in slang and even vocabulary depending on region. There are different cultural norms, histories, and sub-population groups. For example, there is a very large difference between an individual from Chile and an individual from Puerto Rico. Yet, both would be considered Hispanic/Latin. The bottom line is that Latinos are a large group with many sub-groups peppered with various sub-cultural differences. As it is, there is more variety within groups than between groups.
It is for this reason that Americans cannot treat Latinos as a monolithic group. One of the core values of Latinos is a strong work ethic. This is not to say that other ethnicities or population groups do not have a strong work ethic. Simply, much as honor is a major value in some Asian cultures, strong work ethic is a primary value instilled in most families within Latin America. This is rooted in many of these countries having a long agrarian history and economy. Further, it is an economic challenge. Many Latin American countries have been and still are developing countries. Extreme poverty and poverty have dominated the cultural and economic systems in Latin America. This sobering fact is a major contributor to the value of a strong work ethic because it is required to meet basic human needs for survival and providing for family.
A strong work ethic is a major value for Latinos and it is this value that fuels and propels Latinos to seek better opportunity where they can find them to maximize and take pride in their work. A primary reason that many Latinos come to the “land of the free and the home of the brave” is because of the endless potential for having a better life. A life that can provide them so many possibilities but, most importantly, meet their basic needs.
It is for this reason that large numbers of Latinos are more analogous to working class, blue collar Americans that we find in the Midwest and rural counties all over the United States. For working class/blue collar Americans, their job is their pride. Their strong work ethic and rugged individualism is grounded in a generational, familial, communal, and cultural rubric that informs how they continue to operate within their communities and society at large. This is also very true for Latinos. Latinos and working class individuals also strongly value family, community, emphasize Judeo-Christian values, and have a strong bend towards healthy nationalism. At bottom, one of the primary issues for Latinos are economics and wealth and income.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that many Latinos trend conservative in many parts of the United States. Consider this: if you are going to leave your home country (legally or illegally) to seek a better life, evade extreme poverty, wealth and income inequalities, and, often, violence, wouldn’t you be drawn to a party that claims they are for family, community, jobs, and rewarding merit-based work? I am not arguing for the truth of these claims. I am simply arguing for the face validity of the conservatism that is espoused in American politics. True conservatism argues for healthy competition in our economics, respect for traditions and hierarchies, elevation of family values, and localism for communities. This is most familiar to Latinos coming from Latin American countries because it is this framework, layered on a collectivist mindset, that has allowed them to survive and thrive for millennia. The difference when coming to the United States is that they have more freedoms, more opportunities, and more potential for innovation and entrepreneurship which is less available to all individuals in many Latin American countries.
Politically, there are two problems. First: Why are many Latinos not moving towards Liberalism? Second: What is the breakdown in messaging with Liberals when talking to the Latino voting bloc? Both of these questions are answered in the Left’s turn towards wokeness and less on the meat and potato issues of the economy. On paper, Liberalism has the better balance of ideas on how to reduce wealth and income inequality (the biggest economic challenges for Americans at the moment). Historically, Liberalism has encouraged a pragmatic platform for issues of economy, healthcare, and education. During the 60’s and 70’s, Liberals were the champion for the working class. They invested in a wide diversity of jobs, expanded healthcare, and worked pragmatically with unions and activists. Unfortunately, the Left has abandoned the working class and has replaced them by being pulled into the wokeness of cultural issues.
Race issues are important. Gender issues are important. But governing officials are not primarily activists. They work with activists and community organizers to have these important issues heard. One of the problems with the Left is that they do not understand Latinos because they do not appear to listen and do not seem to care to listen. The working class is White. The working class is Black. The working class are Latinos. The working class are all Americans. Latinos have similar concerns as any working class voters do. Restoring economic security, promoting free speech and thought, and allowing for localism in various communities to determine the fortunes of their lives. Latinos care about immigration but for many of them, it’s not the 1st or 2nd or 3rd issue for them. Latinos are Americans just like other Americans. They care about the economy, healthcare, and education. Latinos start with many similar values that conservatives hold and as 2nd and 3rd generation Latinos adopt those values and qualities you will see more Latinos voting for conservatives in various states.
Latinos should be conceptualized as part of the working class coalition in this country. If the Left wants to make inroads with the Latino voting bloc, they must treat them and their ideas with respect. The Left cannot afford to make generalizations or assumptions about Latinos nor can they allow the battle of ideas to be won only by one party. The Left needs to exercise a sophisticated nuance that understands the various sub-categories in a wide-ranging ethnicity. The Left has abandoned the working class voting bloc and their hopes for reaching Latinos is rapidly slipping unless they find the nuance in understanding all the variable differences within the Latino community.
