Fears for redistribution of wealth

By Sylvain Comeau

A new pessimism about multiculturalism has emerged in the West, and surprisingly, it’s on the political left rather than the right, Keith G. Banting said in a recent Concordia lecture.

Banting, a professor in the School of Public Policy and Department of Political Studies at Queen's University, said the pessimism is due to fears that ethnic diversity weakens the redistribution of wealth. Banting recently completed a social science study that examined popular attitudes about multiculturalism, and whether those have indeed affected redistribution.

He said that in the United States, "the politics of race have been a powerful force in shaping and reshaping policies on redistribution, particularly the welfare state reforms during the Clinton years. Ethnic diversity actually weakened support for redistribution."

But Banting's study found a different result in Canada. Surprisingly, he found that minorities in Canada are slightly less enthusiastic about redistribution than other Canadians, and that people living in ethnically diverse neighborhoods are more trusting of their neighbors.

"This result challenges the argument that there is an erosion of trust among the citizens of a country with high levels of racial diversity." That argument or theory is one that is put forth by proponents of the new pessimism about multiculturalism. That presumed erosion of trust is one of the key reasons why thinkers on the left feel that redistribution has gone down in ethnically diverse countries within the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

"In the post-war years, Western societies build their welfare states. In the international component of our study, we are asking whether these nations had trouble sustaining their welfare states if they have had high levels of immigration.

"We found that they have not, but the countries with higher immigration experienced

slower growth in social spending as a proportion of GDP."

Once again, Canada is an exception to the rule, because of a longstanding history of immigration and open borders.

"Countries which have not had high levels of immigration for a large proportion of their history have found the transition more difficult. Countries which are used to high levels of immigration, like Canada, have had a much easier transition [toward multiculturalism]."

Some OECD countries have curtailed immigration, "using the current argument that they must close their doors in order to preserve their welfare states. Our study provides a more balanced view."

Banting noted that while the United States and its history is regarded internationally as a "master narrative" all nations compare themselves to, he suggested that Canada could act as a competing "master narrative." He did find some resistance to that notion at international conferences where he presented his findings, however.

"After my presentation, I heard some people in the audience comment, 'another smug presentation from Canada.' "

During the question and answer period, Banting was asked how Quebec's multiculturalism is different from the rest of Canada’s. He suggested that Quebec's policies result from a constant societal tension, and the rest of Canada is not similarly blessed.

"Quebec's dynamics are distinctive because the society and its social policies are defined by the competition between diverse groups. That's because in the province of Quebec, in some sense or other, everyone is a minority."

The day before he spoke at Concordia, Banting was made a member of the Order of Canada. His lecture was sponsored by the Graduate Diploma in Administration and the Graduate Diploma in Sports Administration (DIA/DSA), programs in the John Molson School of Business.