Every Kind Of People

Immigration. It has become an election issue. The PP’s Mariano Rajoy has sought to make it one, bringing forth condemnations of racism and xenophobia. But Rajoy is merely reflecting a widely held concern. Social surveys of matters of concern always feature immigration prominently, nowhere more so than in Mallorca. Along with employment, it is often the main concern.

Spain has a long history of immigration and of different cultures. Indeed it was, at one time, a multi-cultural land before the purges of the Jews and the Muslims at the end of the fifteenth century, a time when the notion of Spain became more of a reality through the union of the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon. While the ending of Moorish influence in 1492 is widely known, less well known perhaps is the often harsher treatment of the Jews who, made to become “conversos”, still suffered at the hands of zealous inquisitors. Despite the fears of some that the conversos, some of whom went on to hold positions of power, were not truly committed Christians, Spain began to become Spain – the nation of the Catholic Kings.

Through empire, the slave trade and Spain’s position as a maritime trading nation, immigration was common enough; indeed much of its early mercantile influence was the result of Genoese immigration. In more recent times, however, immigration has been less of an issue, though it is untrue to suggest that there was none during the Franco era. It is only though in the past couple of decades that immigration has made its contemporary mark. And it is the different strands of immigration that lie behind the condemnations of Rajoy. European Union migration and that from central and southern America are one thing, movement of people from other countries, in particular African countries is another thing entirely. You might recall my mentioning that Moroccans comprised the greatest number of foreigners who gained Spanish citizenship last year.

Rajoy wants all immigrants to learn Spanish, he will pursue deportation for law-breakers. It sounds vaguely familiar. In Britain, where multi-culturalism is deemed to have failed, not least by a race-issue mover and shaker like Trevor Philips, a form of assimilation-based monoculturalism is sought, despite what the Archbishop of Canterbury might think. Britain has its bonkers citizenship test; proficiency in the language is not just a political desire, it is socially desirable and desired. Many members of ethnic communities have embraced British culture with a passion that contrasts sharply with an embracing of Spain (and its language) by many British expatriates. Immigration does not have to be a threat to the societal norm, albeit that it might modify that norm to some degree, as it has – continuously – in Britain over centuries.

Immigration may have a history in Spain, but Rajoy is reacting to a relatively recent phenomenon, that of significant inward movement of new peoples. His language may sound sinister to some, but what is a politician to do? At least he is addressing an issue that the opposition would rather not, an issue that the surveys show is of concern. It is though the suggestion of discrimination against certain groups of immigrants that is the worry, and he needs to be more sensitive in this respect. It is also, potentially, just cheap electioneering in that the old canard of immigration equating to loss of employment opportunities is also being aired. But if Rajoy is hinting, through his deportation threat, that Spain would not countenance a form of Londonistan emerging in the country, I’m not sure many would disagree. He needs to be wary of the ease with which the racism charge can be levelled at him and of being charged with political opportunism, but he is not wrong to raise the subject of immigration.


QUIZ
Yesterday – Paul McCartney. Today’s title – no longer with us, but this was a cracking song by this British soul/rock artist.

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