Culture and language

Common culture and common language facilitate trade between individuals. In dividuals have incentives to learn the other languages and cultures so that they have a larger pool of potential trading partners. The value of assimi lation is larger to an individual from a small minority than to one from a large minority group. When a society has a very large majority of individua ls from one culture, individuals from minority groups will be assimilated m ore quickly. Assimilation is less likely when an immigrant's native culture and language are broadly represented in his or her new country. Also, when governments protect minority interests directly, incentives to be assimila ted into the majority culture are reduced. In a pluralistic society, a gove rnment policy that encourages diverse cultural immigration over concentrate d immigration is likely to increase the welfare of the native population. S ometimes, policies that subsidize assimilation and the acquisition of major ity language.