Distribution; limited ‘UNESCO/sS/Conf Mig. /12 PARIS, 28 February 1956 Original: English UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION CONFERENCE ON THE CULTURAL INTEGRATION OF IMMIGRANTS Working Document PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS Extract from a Paper on Human Factors in Land Settlement recently prepared by the International Labour Office INFORMATION PAPER Submitted by the International Labour Office The attached document on psychological factors involved in land settlenent is en extract froma paper prepared by the ILO for a preliminary study on various factors determining success or failure of land settlement schemes. It is felt that this extract may be of interest to participants, since in the case of immigration for land settlement the process of adjustment and integration presents certain special features. In view of the many complex factors (physical and economic, legal and organiza- tional, human and financial), which influence the fate of a land settlement scheme, its success or feilure can only be determined after a relatively long period. The economic and social integration of the settlers and, in consequence, their cultural integration, is dependent upon the success of the scheme. Integration in the case of land settlement therefore 1s necessarily a long-term process. ws/026.108ss/cont.tig./12 ~ page 2 PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS (a) Basic selection criteria 1. One of the aims of modern planning for land settlement is to spare settler: sone of the hardships endured by their predecessors in the days of "laissez-faire". Nevertheless, experience of modern land settlement schemes shows that the tradition- al qualities of the land settlement pioneer (courege, resourcefulness, readiness to face hardships, and endurance) are as essential as ever today. Character referen- ces and interviews with selection officers may give some general indication as to whether @ prospective settler possesses these qualities. However, it is very difficult to measure the full significance of apparent psychological traits, either independently or in conjunction with each other, and to foresee the possible evolution of such traits or the development of new psychological reactions under settlement conditions. In consequence, it is impossible to devise a formula for the acccrate assessment of the psychological make-up of settlement candidates. Some general guiding lines may nevertheless be drawn from past experience. (b) Influence of psychological factors on settlement schemes 2. Some of the many psychological fectors which have been found to influence settlement schemes in thepast are described below. (i) Emotional attachment to the home country 3. Experience in connexion with the resettlement of some 50 farming families of German ethnic origin in the district of Vaihingen (German Federel Republic) appears to indicate that the emotional attachment of migrants to their native country my retard their adjustment if they are settled in regions not far removed from that country. The slow adjustment of the farming families from Czechoslovekia, Silesia and Bast Prussia under the resettlement scheme in question has been attributed to the fact that the proximity of their homelend appears to have kept alive their hope of returning there. It was found that the Bessarabian families resettled under this schene, whose homeland was far away, making return seem beyond the bounds of Possibility, yegame adjusted mich more quickly to conditions in the area of resettlement. (41) Information and orientation of settlers 4, he importance of ensuring that prospective migrants receive full ana accurate information on conditions in the country of settlement and of preventing the dissemina- tion of misleading information bas been stressed repeatedly; provisions en this subject are contained in the ILO Convention and Recommendation concerning Migration for Employment (Revised, 1949) and in the ILO Draft Model Agreement on Migration for Land Settlement. Moreover, in presenting information account mst be taken of the intellectual level of the prospective migrants with a view to obviating the risk of misinterpretation on their part. In recent land settlement schemes, difficulties have arisen as a result of lack of information or dissemination of mis- leading information. (1) Cf. Hermann von Kirchbach, “sészheftmachung von Filichtlingswirten", Mitteilungen der Deutschen Landwirtschaftsgesellschaft, Ausgabe B, 70th year, Vol. 32, Frankfurt-on-Main, 11 August 1955, pp. 842-843. ws/026.108Ss/conf-Mig./12 - page 5 5. For example, the lack of reliable information on living and working con- ditions in Brazil severely affected the initial enthusiasm of Italian settlers who emigrated tothat country under the terms of the Italo-Brazilian Agreenent of 15 December 19501’, the information issued by the Provincial Labour Offices in Healy, usup}ly in collaboration with Brazilien consular officers, proved to be unreliable(2), Furthermore there was no official denial of inaccurate press statements that the Brazilian Covernment had distributed up to 50 hectares of lend free of charge to each farming family as well as agricultural implements and one tractor for every two families. 6. The fact that the settlers had been given no information on conditions in the immigration country and vere totally unprepared, owing to lack of orientation, to face these conditions contributed to the high percentage of failures in the German settlements established in Vegas Norte and Santa Isabel near La Serena in Chile in 1952-1953. (For information on other buman factors contributing to failure of these settlements, see paragraph 8.) The settlers, who vere accustomed to the protection afforded by Stajysocial services in Geruany(3) expected too much of ‘the settlement authorities(!) ana entirely lacked resourcefulness and the pioneer spirit. They had expected to find a land of plenty where prosperity could be achievea without much effort on thefr part end could not face up to the conditions wnich they encountered. After an outbreak of rioting, 17 of the 40 farming families in the settlements returned to Germany. (414) Group solidarity (based, e.g.) on a religious or family bond) 7. The following examples illustrate the importance of group solidarity as a factor contributing to the success of settlement schemes. 8. A striking comparison my be drawn in this connexion between the German settlements at Vegas Norte and Senta Isabel near La Serene in Chile (already referred to in paragraph 6) and the Italian settlement of San Ramon only a fow kilometres avay. The German and Italian settlements had similar water supplies but the German settlers received larger holdings that the Italians, with better accommodation, better soil and better commmications. Nevertheless, as previously mentioned, nearly half the German settlers (17 families out of 40) returned home, whereas less than 10 per cent of the first Italian settlers left San Ramon. (2) articles IV and IX of the Agreement specify the steps to be taken with @ view to information and orientation of emigrants. (2) cf. Sofie Franzoia Calpi, "Considerazione e problemi dell'emgrazione agricola italiana in Brazile", Imigrazione - Informazioni ed appunti, Sixth Year, February 1955, Dp. 32. (5) In conjunction with the influence of these social services on the mentality of settlers, see C. von Unterrichter, "Lend Settlement in South America. Imagination and Reality", News, International Catholic Migration Commission, No. 3 (IV), Geneva, March 1955, pp. 6-7. ae ~ (4) A similar attitude has led to many failures in settlement carried out under the British Empire Settlement Schemes and there have been numerous criticisms of "spoon-fed” migrants. Cf. D. Christie Tait, "Migration and Settlement in Australia, New Zealand and Canada", International Labour Review, Vol. XXIV, No. 1, July 1936, p. 43. a are W3/026.108SS/Conf.Mig./12 - page 4 . ‘The success of the Italian settlers under conditions less favourable than those of the Germans may be attributed in pert to the fact that this colony was administered vy Talians, had its ow schog} snd church and thet the settlers thus derived spiritual and practical help(!) from a group of which they formed part. The absence of a spiritual nucleus among the Germans, which might have promoted a similar feeling of group solidarity, may be considered to have facilitated the attitude which culminated in the outbreak of rioting alrecdy mentioned. In this connexion, it is interesting to note that the rioting in the German settlements started in Sante Isabel, where, according to the DEGESA (the German Association for Settlement Abroad) end the Settlement Committee of the Germen Chilean Association, the econonic 5 prospects and agronomic conditions were more favourable than those in Vegas Norte(@), 9. Group discipline, based on a religious bond, is considered to be the major Feason for the success of a co-operative Mejponite settlenent established in the Chaco region in Paraguay some 30 years ago‘) This settlement has now attained a high degree of prosperity, in spite of initial difficulties due to poor planning end organization. 10. ‘The seme religious elenent has made an important contribution to the success of the Mennonite settlements in the State of Chihuahua in Mexico, which were not organized on a co-operative basis and yhjeh overcane considerable difficulties only after heavy setbacks had been sufferea'”) It must, however, be remembered that ‘there were other causes contributing to the success of these settlements, 1.e. the settlers had considerable financial means and good markets for their produce. 11. The importance of group solidarity based on family ties has been demonstrated by experience in connexion with the emigration of Italian farming families to Brezil. In 1952, if it was found at the time of selection that a farming family id not have the necessary muuber of working members, the "family group" was com- pleteé by the addition of workers not related to the original members of the group. It was found that, after arrival in Brazil, these workers frequently failed to abide by the working conditions they had agreed to accept. Experiences of this kind in the Italian settlement at Pedrinhas in Sao Paulo led the selection euthori- ties to decide, in 1954, that only family groups composed of parents and their children would henceforth be accepted. 12,‘ Pinslly, group solidarity, based on @ common ideal (Zionism) is considered ‘to have been one of the factors contributing to the success of certain Jewish settlenents in Israel. (4v) Relative soctal levéls in regions of origin and settlement 13. Experience hows that, in the opinion of the settler, an income sufficient to ensure freedom from want does not necessarily constitute satisfactory settlement. (2) cf. c. von Unterrichter, op. cit. (2) cf. “Tod, Not, Brot". "Die deutsche Siedlung bei la Serena in Chile 7 Zettschrite tir ane gesante Siedlungevesen, Bielefeld, lth Year, Vol. , Jan. 55) BD. 6-8. (3) Of. Orezio Graziani, "Emigrazione e colonissazione agricola italiana nel sua fnerica”, (Botrette della Revista Agraria, 1953-1954), Tip. dell'erso, Rone, 55, P.B2. (4) Ce. Walter Schmiedehnus, "Die Wndlichen Stedlungen der Mennoniten", Mittetiungen, Institut flr Auslendsbezichungen, Stuttgart, 5th Year, Nos. 5/8, pp. 220-222. ws/026.108- 8S/conf.Mig./12 - page 5 The settler is apt to judge the latter rather on the basis of psychic income(2) , with particular reference to the relative levels of psychic income in the regions of origin end settlenent. ls. After four years' experience of social conditions in French agriculture, vhich are very different fron those to vhich they weyg accustomed in Germany, many German forming families in France wish to return home'*), On the other hand, displaced persons of German ethnic origin from the Pennonian regions, the Banat, the Batechka and Hungary, who have been settled in the South of France, have proved adaptable to local social conditions, which are less fer removed from those under vhich they Lived previously; the successful settlement of 22 families from the Banat in la Rogue sur Perne is an example of the satisfectory adjustment of this group. 15. Reference has frequently been made to the fact that Italien peasants settled {in Brazil find it extremely difficult to adapt thepggives to the social conditions of the indigenous rural population in that country(3). 16. Sintlarly, adaptation difficulties arising from social conditions have beep, one of the causes of failure of nearly all Germen settlement projects in Mexico‘), Another cause was the unfavourable climate. 17. In coppexion with German settlement in South America, the viev has been expressea'?) that, elthough it is difficult to draw general conclusions, adaptation difficulties of this nature may explain why there are many faiures among farmers coming from German agricultural regions with favourable sociel conditions, whereas those coming from the poorer agricultural regions have been satisfactorily settled. (v) Psychological aptitude for or co-operative settlement 18. The breaking up of various Sviss group settlements has been attributed to the independent charagter of the Sviss. The view hns in fact been expressed ty the Swiss authorities'6) that the failure of the group settlement launched in Rolandia, near Londrina, in Brazil in 1955 by the,wiss migration Association shows that the Swiss are unsuited to group settlenent!?), (1) "Psychic income" may be defined as real income, plus the psychological value of the satisfaction which the settler end his family derive from the general con- ditions of settlement (e.g. congenial work, pleasant accommodation, good schools, recreational facilities). (2) Cf. Gottfried Zankl, "Siedlungsversuchen in Frankreich", Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 6 August 1955, No. 180, p.5. (3) Cf. 0. Graziani, op. cit. (4) Ce. Withelm Prerdekanp, "Siediungs-und Geneinschattsleben"”, sitteLungen, Year, May, ? Institut flr Auslandsbezichungen, Stuttgart, Nos. 5-8, 5th uly and August 1955, pp. 217-220. (5) Cf. Dr. Max Griszer, “Die MSglichkeiten deutscher Auslandssiedlung”, Zentralver- lag G.m.b.H., Berlin W. 35, D- ae ee (6) Cf. Bulletin sténographique officiel de 1'Assemblée fédérale, No. 48, February 1938, Conseil des Etats, p. 2 et seq. (7) On the other hand, Swiss individual settlement in North Africa has had some notable successes. Elsewhere, individual Swiss agricultural emigrants had a varied fate (e.g. in South America). Cf. Walter Bodmer, "Immigration et colon- {sation suisses en Amérique du Sud", Acta Tropica,Vol.'2, 1945, Verlag fiir Recht und Gesellschaft AG, Basle, p. 327. Ws/026.10888/Conf.Mig./12 - page 6 . 1g. In so far as co-operative settlements are concerned, successes or failures of co-operatives of particuler national groups have led to a tendency to generalize regarding the co-operative spirit or lack of co-operative spirit of the nationals of different countries. Experience shows that such generalizations are unjustified. 20. It hes been observed, for example, that Italian co-operative settlements (e.g. the Santa Anna de Japubile settlement of the "sbruzzo forte e gentile" society in Brazil, the Santa Rosa settlement in Paraguay, the Barinas settlement in Veneaucle and the “Clapisa” settlement in Pescara, Uruguay) have failed and it has een inferred from this thet the Italiens are individualist and lacking in co- operative spirit. Other possible causes of the failure of Italian co-operative settlements (e.g. lack of capital and proper technical menagement) and, in some cases, acclinatization difficulties must, hovever, also be borne in mind. 21. on the other hand, the success of Dutch, German and Japanese settlements has deen attributed to a co-operative spirit on the pert of these three national groups, leading to good internal hierarchy and discipline(1), 22. . In so fer as Dutch co-operative settiments are concerned, it is true that ‘those in Fazenda Ribeiro end Cestrolandia in Brazil have been highly suceessful. There are, however, too few examples of Dutch co-operative settlements to justity either confirmation or refutation of the above-mentioned view. 23. As regards German co-operatives, there are a number of examples of failure, for instonce, the settlements of "Neu Karlsruhe" and "Le Patagonia” in Argentina and "Wew Augsburg” in Paregusy, which appear to refute the opinion referred to above. Moreover, on the eccasion of the failure of the Germen co-operative settle- nent “Colonia Suabie" in the State of Soo Paulo in 1923, the Deutsche Auslana~ Institut stated that it hed edvised against the launching of the project because German co-operative settlements had never been successful(®) . On the other hand, it must be renembered that there were other factors (e.g. lack of capital and poor Sanagepent) which may by said to have contributed to the failure of German co- operative settlenents (3), 2k. If the experience of Japanese co-operative settlements is considered, the above-mentioned opinion appears, prina facie, to be borne out by the success of those established in Brazil (near the city of Sao Peulo and, more recently, in Baixada Fluminense). It may be asked, however, whether these successes were not due, to some extent, to a desire on the part of the settlers to preserve their cultural identity through organization on co-operative lines. (1) C2. Maugini and Conforti, "Indagini preliminari sul problema della emigrazione agricola nell'America Letina”, Florence, 1951. (2) Cf. Der Auslendsdeutsche, Stuttgart, Seventh Year, 192 p.565. (3) Cf. Herbert Wilbelmy, "Siedlung im sudanerikenischen Urwald", Bamburg- Blankenese, 1949, pp. 17-19. WS /026.10888/Conf.Mig./12.- page 7 (vi) Psychological reactions in mixed settlenents 25. During the first half of the twentieth century mixed settlements composed of settlers of different nationalities vere established in countries of South America in the hope that mingling of the different national groups would expedite their assimilation, 26. In the north west of the State of Sao Paulo in Brazil a large settlement area was established comprising various mixed settlenents (Ijuhy, Guarany, Uruguay, Serro Pelleado, Guaporé,, Qasr into Goria and Tepuca).With a view to preventing the formation of compact alien communities, each settlement was arranged in such © way as to ensure mingling of the various national groups (German, Hungerien, Italian, Russian, Spanish end Swedish). Nevertheless, in the course of time, the settlers succeededin forming ethnic islands ty exchanging their holdings. In get, M0 per cent of the population of the Tjuky settlenent was of Germa,rigin and there were more than 1,000 German femilies in the Guarany settlement (1) | 27. The colonial nucleus of Baro de Antonina, foundgg in 1930 by the State of Seo Paulo, is elso an experiment in mixed settlement (4), In 1938 this colony had 162 Luso-Brazilian families and some 150 alien families comprising 15 different nationalities. The land had been distributed in e manner designed to prevent the formation of ethnic islands and to promote assimilation of the alien families. There vas, hovever, Little intermarriage gnd assimilation does not appear to have progressed as rapidly as had been hoped(), 28. Another experiment, in mixed settlement was undertaken in Venezuela in December 1gk9 in the Unided Agricola de Turén. Of the 582 families settled in Turén, 313 are of foreign origin. Of these, 30 per cent ere Italian, 17 per cent Spanish, 16 per cent Yugoslav and 14 per cent Rumanien; the remaining 23 per cent includes representatives of 20 different nationalities, With a view to promoting assimile~ tion, the settlers were grouped in such a wey as to bring families of different nationalities into contact with each other and with Venezuelan families. In many of the groups of four houses, each of which is separated from the next group ty a distance of about one kilonetre, families of four different nationalities may be found. However, elthough the project has been entirely successful from the economic point of view, the results to date indicate that geographical proximity of nationals end foreigners may not alone be sufficient to ensure cultural integration(). (1) Cf. J. Steidle, "Hundert Jahre Deutschtun in Staate Rio Grande do Sul", Der_Auslandsdeutsche, Stuttgart, 7th Year, 192k, pp. 540-543. (2) Cf. Pierre Monbeig, "The Colonial Nucleus of Bar&o de Antonina, Sao Paulo", Geogrephicel Review, Vol. 30, 1940, pp. 260-271. (3) Tt had been expected, furthermore, that the Brazilian families would adopt the improved farming methods of the aliens. In fact, the reverse happened, i.e. the aliens adopted the farming methods of the Brazilians. Cf. Leo Weibel, “Buropean Colonization in Southern Brazil", Geographical Review, Vol. 40, 1950, pp. 545-546. (4) Cf. Anibal Buitron, "The cultural integration of immigrants", Technical Working Group on Migration of the Administrative Comittee on Co-ordination, 7th Session, Geneva, 6 December 1954, Working paper submitted by the Pan- American Union. W5/026.10888/Conf .Mig./12 - page 8 29. Im this connexion, it may be noted that in Israel experience has shown that friction between settlers can be avoided by selecting groupe of candidates fron the same country of origin as settlers for the new co-operative villages(1) . (2) Cf. A. ELi-Av, “Agricultural colonization in Isreel", Journal of Agricultural Beonomies, Vol. XI, No. 1, Edinburgh, June 1954, p. 65 Ws/026.108