How might assimilation be considered less harsh than paternalism?

The answer is that assimilation is considered to be less harsh than paternalism due to the fact that assimilation still enables a country to adopt various cultures, and makes equality, while in paternalism, it is considered to make a country lesser, or less a country. Paternalism refers to the practice or policy of government bodies that restricts freedom and responsibilities of those subordinate to them in the subordinates.