Queries Concerning Industry and Society Growing out of Study of Ethnic Relations in Industry

Abstract

A NUMBER of sociologists about two decades ago focussed their studies of race relations on ethnic divisions of labor found in the colonial regions of the world which capitalistic industry had but recently penetrated.' More recently American sociologists have joined in study of race relations in industry in their own country with the aim of learning how we may make fuller use of the American labor force regardless of racial or ethnic distinction. I think it now profitable to draw these two perspectives together; and in so doing, to raise some general questions, not merely about the role of industry in mixing peoples, but concerning the relations between industry and society in various situations. For whenever one scratches a problem of racial and ethnic relations, he uncovers problems concerning society itself; and in this case, concerning industry and society. First, let me make three sweeping statements which are germane to the whole problem of ethnic relations in industrial economies. The first is that industry is always and everywhere a grand mixer of peoples. War