Yeah, we were built by migrants after all.
Wrong, we were built by PERSECUTED migrants. The distinction is absolutely important as it defines the difference between how North America evolved and South America devolved.
South America was flooded with greedy migrants. That's why nobody has private property like USA down there and why they are way behind today. AI will explain this to you:
The distinction between persecuted migrants and those seeking economic gain has shaped North and South America differently. In North America, early settlers, including Puritans, Quakers, and other groups, fled religious persecution. They established communities grounded in private property rights and self-governance, principles which became foundational to the U.S. economy and culture. These persecuted groups created systems emphasizing individual ownership and a democratic framework, essential in forming a society that values private property and the rule of law.
In contrast, South America's colonization was largely driven by economic ambition. Spanish and Portuguese settlers pursued wealth through the extraction of resources, establishing a hierarchical, exploitative system that enriched the European elite while restricting property rights and political power for local populations. This legacy contributed to structural inequalities, where wealth was concentrated, and communal or government-held land persisted. Such systems made it harder to build a middle class, as property ownership was less accessible and tightly controlled.
The effects of these contrasting approaches remain evident today. North America's emphasis on individual rights and private property helped create a resilient economy and institutions that support widespread prosperity. Meanwhile, South America's colonial legacy of centralized wealth and limited property rights has posed challenges for economic development and democratic stability, as seen in modern inequality and governance issues across many South American nations.
Allowing predominantly economic migrants to enter a country will shift its identity from a cohesive nation to a more transactional economic zone. Without a common cultural foundation, language, or shared history, it becomes impossible to establish unity. Migrants focused solely on economic gain will not prioritize assimilation, leading to a society where diverse languages and values coexist with limited cohesion, eroding a shared sense of community.
Borders become less meaningful in an economic-focused migration model, as migrants come and go based on job availability rather than a commitment to building the nation or forming social bonds with the community. When citizenship is tied less to cultural integration and more to economic opportunity, national borders become increasingly permeable. This lack of defined boundaries dilutes the legal and social expectations that fundamentally come with national identity, creating a transient workforce with limited allegiance to the country.
The absence of shared values weakens the rule of law, as various groups hold differing interpretations of justice, rights, and societal norms with various and often conflicting religious beliefs. When the law is perceived as flexible, the nation risks becoming a loose collection of economic interests, rather than a unified entity. Rights and protections also diminish if the focus remains on labor rather than citizen well-being and assimilation, turning the country into a place of economic transactions rather than a society founded on mutual respect and shared ideals.
It's the den of moneychangers in the temple Jesus warned us all about over a thousand years ago
SOURCES:
The Migration Policy Institute discusses how many early migrants to the U.S. came to escape religious persecution, establishing settlements with values centered on individual rights, private property, and community governance. This set the foundation for American society's emphasis on personal freedoms and democratic ideals, contrasting with the more extractive colonial approaches seen in parts of Latin America, where the focus was on wealth extraction rather than building inclusive communities
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Harvard's Immigration Initiative highlights the impact of persecuted migrants who sought religious and political freedoms in America. Their arrival helped shape a unique national identity grounded in ideals of tolerance, civic responsibility, and rule of law, which became cornerstones of American society. This contributed to a society where laws supported individual rights and property ownership, reinforcing the development of a cohesive national culture
