When Multiculturalism is the enemy of diversity

The European Right, both moderate and extremist, has taken up the hatchet on multiculturalism. Merkel, Cameron, Le Penn(daughter), along with the Left, divided, that grinds its teeth or shrugs its shoulders. A scenario which does not look very promising, considering the actual complexity of the issue. But, especially, because a misunderstanding that has never been sorted out lies at the bottom of many of the current problems. What are we talking about?

Multiculturalism means not one thing but two different things. The first one concerns existential, behavioural, lifestyle and creed diversities of the citizens of modern society, which has been made more open and vibrant by immigration. The second thing is of political nature, and here is where problems begin. It concerns the strategy of political administration which allowed, stimulated and institutionalized the transformation of diversities from an individual right into a tribal brand. Giving green light to the calamitous increase of many, distinct and separate communities, according to their creed, ethnic group and culture.

In the first case we are talking about individual citizens and open society. In the second case we are talking about a patchwork of groups, which is homogeneous inside, on paper, but actually is armoured on the exterior. This second irrational concept of multiculturalism has produced many of the present problems, as Amartya Sen masterfully pointed out in an article on the Financial Times in August 2006 entitled “Multiculturalism: an unfolding tragedy of two confusions”. Because the political concept according to which the multicultural society has to work as a simple container of homogeneous blocks of humanity, in order to respect differences, also resulted in allowing the radical communitarianism to silence the real internal divisions (of gender, social class, age, nationality) and to take the differences towards “the others” to the extreme.

Paradoxically, in the name of the fight against the old racist segregationism, the institutions which were born by this multiculturalism have stopped interjecting with the people, as individuals and citizens, but as members of this or that ethnic, religious and cultural group. An actual choice of regression which we have to think about. Firstly the Left of multiculturalism has to think about it. Since, if we remember properly, the Left was born with the mission to overcome, and not strengthen, differences, contrasts and internal division of societies.

(Translation: Francesca Cannino)