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> I do support an open border. Why wouldn't you? Because the influx of people will be huge and will only stop if the incentive to move disappears, i.e. if the
by jules 8y ago
> I do support an open border. Why wouldn't you?
Because the influx of people will be huge and will only stop if the incentive to move disappears, i.e. if the quality of life in your country is approximately equal to the quality of life in the worst country on the planet. Furthermore, it's not at all clear that this is a net positive if you take a consequentialist view, because your plan will probably vastly reduce scientific and technological progress by turning the countries with the highest output into failed states.
If you truly believe in equality you could give almost all of your income away. Taking a moral stance while collectivising the downside is easy, particularly when you know that it won't happen anyway. It's freeloading on the people who are willing to take a non-virtuous stance.
- Retric 8y agoI don’t think evidence supports that. Most people don’t move. Even in the US people mostly stick to poor areas with few options over moving into the unknown. On top of that the US is already a poor place to live if you lack education, wealth, and connections. Our vast homeless population and minimal safty net shows just how difficult it would be to show up in the US with little more than the clothes on your back. Which is probably why on net ~1.5 million illegal immigrants left the US over the last decade. PS: Counties don’t exist on a single universally agreed upon yardstick and a clear best one.
- oh_sigh 8y ago> Most people don’t move. Maybe that's because of the current restrictive immigration policies?
- masonic 8y agoWhich is probably why on net ~1.5 million illegal immigrants left the US over the last decade This is false. Pew made a similar claim, but it turns out their "inbound" tally counted only Mexican adults who were known to be illegal while the "outbound" number counted all foreign nationals of all ages that repatriated.
- Retric 8y agoCitation? I have seen similar figures from a wide range of sources, but copy paste is a thing.
- masonic 8y agoa wide range of sources Citation? And did you look at the methods? You will find that your "wide range of sources" is simply Pew and/or their underlying cherry-picked sources. You have to look at where the numbers come from and the differing criteria for counting outflow vs. inflow.
- em-bee 8y agoso that's what we need to work on then. improve the quality of life everywhere. mind you, we may need to rethink how to best do that without being imposing, but that is something we can workout. poverty levels have reduced worldwide according to statistics, so it is possible. it will just take some more effort to get there.