CARTER, REAGAN, AND THE CUBANS: THE IMPACT OF CHANGING FISCAL POLICY ON MARIEL ENTRANTS IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (IMMIGRATION)

OLIVIA MARSHA HARDEMAN HIDALGO, Purdue University

Abstract

This dissertation presents an empirical analysis of the 1980 Mariel Cuban Case, focusing on an assessment of the efficacy of the use of pluralism as an underlying theory of public policy aimed at the reduction of social plight among the underclass in the United States. The analysis centers upon four issues: (1) whether change in socio-economic problem definition is projected through presidential fiscal policy formation and implementation; (2) whether there are adverse effects resulting from the shift of responsibility from domestic policies by public to private sectors on specific ethnic and racial groups; (3) whether there is an adverse effect associated with the use of ethnicity and race as an approach for organizing groups for political participation and potential mobilization; and, (4) whether there is an adverse impact associated with the use of ethnic and racial group categorization for the reduction of social vulnerability. By focusing upon pluralism as an underlying causal theory of policy implementation of social services, the analysis identifies the nature of the relationship between presidential fiscal policy, program implementation strategy, and ethnopolitics. The results of this implementation study are instructive. The assessment of the Carter and first term Reagan years identifies a strong correlation between public sector involvement and reduced levels of social plight of persons receiving services. This public sector involvement is inversely related to the degree of ethnic, racial, and religious group reliance within the social service delivery network. Even though the Carter Post-New Deal Liberalism and Reagan's Free Market Conservatism are purported to be ideological extremes in terms of fiscal policy alternatives, the results for the underclass are basically the same. Each period of presidential administration reinforces social cleavage as a result of the social service delivery patterns available to the underclass. Evidence suggests that pluralism is inappropriate as causal theory for the elimination of the underclass phenomenon in the United States. Furthermore, it is concluded that at least three processes have evolved from the use of pluralism as a causal theory that perpetuates the continued existence of the underclass phenomenon as demonstrated in the 1980 Mariel Cuban case.

Degree

Ph.D.

Subject Area

Political science

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