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Only if you assume that the free movement of labour is impossible; capitalists like myself argue that it's an entirely achievable goal. After all, we've achieve

Only if you assume that the free movement of labour is impossible; capitalists like myself argue that it's an entirely achievable goal. After all, we've achieved relatively free movement of capital. The issue is that there are strongly entrenched powerful interests operating against free labour movement. Sadly, those people and organisations are themselves labelled as capitalists (sometimes, self-described).

bluetomcat 10y ago
Capital movement is driven by profit, often without any regard for the consequences it brings to local communities. Relocation of working-class families across the world isn't as easy as it is for a Hollywood star or a venture capitalist with fat bank accounts.
- duncan_bayne 10y ago
  Yes. But it used to be; many early Americans were poor economic refugees. What's changed?
  - notahacker 10y ago
    Poor American families that might benefit from relocation generally aren't homeless. There aren't plots of unoccupied land in frontier territory to build shacks on, and they're not permitted to cram into boarding houses with five other families if they can't afford to rent a room in their destination city whilst looking for work there. The developed world has also taken a lot of steps to prevent more economic refugees arriving in the country.
  - bluetomcat 10y ago
    It's not a fair comparison. Early Americans came to a loosely inhabited continent with a lot of potential for growth and a similar cultural groundwork. The huge cultural gap, and not unimportantly, the significantly lower standard of living in developing countries like China and India makes it a rather unappealing choice for Europeans and Americans.
zeemonkee3 10y ago
Look at the EU: although there is complete freedom of movement of labour for EU citizens, cultural and language barriers prevent true movement to a far greater degree than within the US.
- bluetomcat 10y ago
  Moreover, movement of labour within the EU is mostly unidirectional. A German or a Brit is very unlikely to go to work in Poland or Bulgaria, whereas the other way around is almost always the case. This unidirectional movement sucks out young blood from the donor countries and leads them to an even direr future.

bluetomcat 10y ago

Capital movement is driven by profit, often without any regard for the consequences it brings to local communities. Relocation of working-class families across the world isn't as easy as it is for a Hollywood star or a venture capitalist with fat bank accounts.

duncan_bayne 10y ago
Yes. But it used to be; many early Americans were poor economic refugees. What's changed?
- notahacker 10y ago
  Poor American families that might benefit from relocation generally aren't homeless. There aren't plots of unoccupied land in frontier territory to build shacks on, and they're not permitted to cram into boarding houses with five other families if they can't afford to rent a room in their destination city whilst looking for work there. The developed world has also taken a lot of steps to prevent more economic refugees arriving in the country.
- bluetomcat 10y ago
  It's not a fair comparison. Early Americans came to a loosely inhabited continent with a lot of potential for growth and a similar cultural groundwork. The huge cultural gap, and not unimportantly, the significantly lower standard of living in developing countries like China and India makes it a rather unappealing choice for Europeans and Americans.

zeemonkee3 10y ago

Look at the EU: although there is complete freedom of movement of labour for EU citizens, cultural and language barriers prevent true movement to a far greater degree than within the US.

bluetomcat 10y ago
Moreover, movement of labour within the EU is mostly unidirectional. A German or a Brit is very unlikely to go to work in Poland or Bulgaria, whereas the other way around is almost always the case. This unidirectional movement sucks out young blood from the donor countries and leads them to an even direr future.