The 1992 elections and “minority” politics: A perspective

Although the United States has long been an ethnically and racially diverse society, that diversity has not only increased but, in significant respects, has also changed in character over the last generation. Population growth, including immigration, is no longer a primarily European phenomenon but has for some time occurred predominantly in Latin America and Asia. Indeed, the 1980s were touted as the “decade of the Hispanics,” suggesting that this group was emerging as a significant social and political force. The overall growth and change in the United States has occurred in the context of an already sizable “minority” presence of more than 20 percent, with African Americans/blacks constituting about 12 percent and Latinos/Hispanics from 8 to 10 percent of the population. Projections suggest that the Latino and Asian populations will be the fastest-growing segments in the foreseeable future as well. This context is one in which the 1992 elections and their aftermath can and should be considered.