Abstract:
Hispanics are the fastest growing ethnic population in the United States. Today, they became the largest minority group in the United States, and they are changing American society and culture. As it continues to grow, the composition of the American nation is undergoing fundamental changes socially, politically, and economically. This shift has profound implications for the future of the American nation as it puts into question the concept of homogeneity of the nation as well as the concept of the “Melting Pot”.
Due to their large numbers they have the potential to be a powerful voting bloc. Indeed, since the 1960s, when Great Society legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 strengthened the involvement of Americans into politics, and the political maturity of the Hispanic group, the Hispanic vote has proven to be influential in local, state, and national elections. In presidential elections, in particular, political candidates have taken special care to appeal to the Hispanic vote.
As this population grows and matures, its structure is changing in every aspect, from educational levels and labor force composition to household characteristics and accumulation of wealth. It is these evolving factors that drive the increasing influence of Hispanics in U.S. consumer markets and U.S. economy in general.
Eventually, exactly how all of these complex forces will shape and define the emerging strong structure of the U.S. Hispanic population over the next several years will affect a broad array of national public policies in connection with education, diversity in the workplace, financial and government supplies, and professional advancement.
This unprecedented swing in U.S. demographics by the waking of the “Brown Sleeping Giant” which is already having a profound effect on the American society will have huge ramifications for mainstream politics, economy, and culture.
