From: Lee Corbin (lcorbin@tsoft.com)
Date: Sat Jun 29 2002 - 13:13:00 MDT
Anders writes
> Who creates jobs? If jobs are a scarce resource that is produced by some
> external agent then it might make sense to ration them (in Sweden the
> government is generally believed to be the agent that somehow creates
> jobs, not just jobs in the big government sector of the economy but also
> in the private sector). If jobs instead are something people create for
> themselves by starting businesses or making businesses interested in
> hiring them, then the above strategy makes no sense.
Yes, exactly. Governments don't create jobs, people create jobs.
> I would say the evidence is overwhelming for the last position. And
> hence the idea of keeping others out so the locals can get the scarce
> jobs will in fact keep everybody worse off (that is, everybody except
> certain vested interests benefiting, in Sweden the labour unions and
> their intimate friends the social democratic party).
No, it will only leave worse off the people in *Sweden*! Siphoning
off other countries' most productive, energetic, and productive
citizens does indeed help Sweden, but think of the lost opportunities
of the donor nations.
> One of the reasons Sweden needs more people is that it is a rapidly
> graying generation. Within a few years a sizeable fraction of the
> workforce will retire, and by 2020 25% of the population will be above
> 65 years. Unless we want the living standard to decrease, we need more
> people to keep the economy floating.
Yes, instead of taking the trouble of having and raising children
themselves, many Swedes wish to exploit the children, young adults,
workers, and productive citizens belonging to other countries.
It is time that Western nations, such as Sweden and the United States
desist from this selfish policy of enhancing their own economies by
attracting able citizens of third world countries that themselves
are most in need of economic development. Alas, it's once again a
case of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.
Rather than Americans always thinking only of what's good for America,
(or Swedes thinking only of what's good for Sweden), it's high time
that a more global spirit of cooperation, solidarity, selflessness,
and compassion arose.
All recent third world immigrants should be returned to their countries
of origin at once. Naturally, this is not a negative reflection on the
immigrants themselves---who can blame them for wanting to benefit their
lives?---but it needs to be pointed out to them the harm their desertion
does to their mother countries. They should be encouraged to see the
nobility of returning to help their native lands develop properly.
> But immigration is politically out, while Göran Person instead
> suggests giving economic incentives to people to get more children
> and marry more!
Ah, it is good that at least a few high-minded people live in Europe
too. Sometimes I think that all they ever have at heart is what's
good for their own nations.
> One reason the US is such an economic powerhouse is the open
> immigration policy (yes, it is open when you compare to Europe)
> that produces a relatively young population. Add to this an
> entrepreneur-friendly climate, and you are set.
Yes, just so. As good as immigration is for the advanced, receiving
Western nation, we should instead consider the harm being done to the
nations of origin, and not only in terms of active and entrepreneurial
people, but in terms of morale too.
No, let us take the high road---for once---and round up all the
immigrants, even unto the second or third generation, and return
them to their own countries. Think of the benefit to the developing
countries as they integrate into their own stagnant economies
millions of U.S. and Europe free market-trained young people.
It will be our loss, of course, but their immeasurable gain.
> Closing borders and regarding entrepreneurship as some kind of alien
> superpower is not a smart idea [for a country] in the long run.
Too true, but again, only if you're narrowly thinking of your
own benefit. We must think of the poorer and less well developed
countries for a change.
Lee
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