Migrants and the City

Migrants and the City

The political Economy of Migration

The issue of immigration has evolved substantially from a humanitarian affair to political interest. People from impoverished, warring, or disastrous areas seek shelter in peaceful ad economically stable nations for reestablishment and continued survival. Notably, western and European countries are the main targets of immigrants due to their democracies. While incoming groups create a wide range of social changes in their new homes, the economic implication of such movement is undeniable. The arrival of new populations influences both the local and the national economies of host nations.

An outstanding impact of immigration is the revitalization of deteriorating populations. America and European nations have regularly experienced generational gaps owing to the variability of lifespans, the broad adoption of birth control, and decreasing fertility rates, among others (Zachary, 2006). In recent years, many countries have reported a significantly declining number of vibrant populations as a majority of the people are either old or too young. Consequently, economies underperform due to a lack of labor force and providers of such essential services as education and health care. Markedly, the production sector is profoundly affected by such a decline because available workers are either overwhelmed or adopt reclined attitudes due to the easy availability of jobs (Zachary, 2006). Generational gaps can disorient societies through uneven population growth and increased cases of dependency. However, migrants help to regenerate fading populations, restoring order in the host communities (Zachary, 2006). For instance, the U.S., which has a substantially high population of senior natives, has been stabilized by incoming migrants.

Other than the social impact of migration on a nation, economies are also incentivized by incomers. Primarily, more people increase the demand for goods and services produced by the local economy, thus, enhancing the revenue of the locale and the country at large. Capitalists earn more income, which translates into increased spending, hence boosting other investors, as well as expansionary efforts by participating in more activities (Zachary, 2006). The extra demand created by immigrants also provides opportunities for the locals who could not previously invest in mature or declining markets. The newcomers undertake business activities as well, mainly dealing with cultural goods targeting each other (Schneider, 2020; Zachary, 2006). The generated income is spent in the host nation, serving as a boost to the local economy.

Moreover, migrants provide essential labor previously lacking due to the populational challenges or selective attitudes of the native people. Immigrants often visit in dilapidated states and, thus, require a source of income to support their stay in their new homes. Consequently, they assume jobs in several establishments, particularly in the manufacturing industry, which is an essential pillar of modern economies (Zachary, 2006). Labor is an important input in production and its absence can result in the collapse of markets and civilizations. Therefore, the ability and willingness of migrants to assume jobs help to boost the business environment, which influences the ability of governments to provide services from collected revenue (Zachary, 2006). The injection of a new workforce leads to not only increased production and income but also new investments in allied businesses (Schneider, 2020). For instance, housing, logistics, banking, insurance, legal, and infrastructure providers all witness emerging and growing business opportunities.

The social and economic prospects of migration encourage administrations to engage in promotional efforts to attract newcomers into their territories. Such nations as Canada are actively inviting people from other states to migrate, primarily to integrate them into the local inadequate workforce. Similarly, states in the U.S. are desperate to receive refugees and revitalize their waning populations and economies.

“The Right to the City”

While migration has been identified as a useful trend in reenergizing nations, specific philosophies undermine the potential benefits of such movement. The “right to the City” campaign is founded on the notion that urban centers should be established and molded by people based on their ideas and desires. In this perspective, people have a democratic right to change such cities and implement statutes that reflect the welfare of all people (Harvey, 2008). This is opposed to the current capitalistic view, which is created around profitability through class conflict. While the “right to the city” perspective can contradict with the political economy idea of immigration, the movement can also be interpreted as supportive.

The new democratic order in city life proposed by Henri Lefebvre, and later propagated by David Harvey, holds that urban standards should not be defined by the market forces influenced by profit-seeking investors, but by the collective action of all citizens who directly or indirectly contribute to the existence of the center. Such an opinion demands democratic control aimed at providing a holistic approach to social welfare, thus, affording everyone the right to live and experience the city. The effect of such a model has mixed implications for a country’s economic and social life.

Democratically managing the operation of cities supports the operationalization of a migrant-powered political economy. A notable challenge to migrants, mainly from poor regions to developed nations, is the cost of living in their new homes. Such people usually arrive in impoverished conditions and cannot afford necessities as house rent (Refugees International, 2020). Markedly, most of the incomers prefer to settle around cities, which offer a sense of universality due to ethnic and cultural diversity, as opposed to the native-dominated suburban. However, the cost of housing is unaffordable, rendering most of them homeless or forcing them to live in cheaper “slum-like” establishments. Consequently, many are absorbed into the state support system or street life, never having the chance to socially integrate or participate in economic activities. Therefore, providing people with their rights to the city can improve their living conditions and levels of stability, thus, enhancing their prospects of contributing to commercial activities to realize the vision of a migration economy.

In contrast, the “right to the city” approach can override the potential economic or social benefits of migration. The democratic control of urban centers and the decommodification of lifestyles can have a repressive effect on the economy. Outstandingly, housing investors will be less interested in financing projects that are not economically viable or in line with their targets. As a result, the level of investment in accommodation units will decline, transferring the burden to local authorities. In this case, the economic value of migrant labor and purchasing value will be almost null, as the generated resources are reinvested in providing housing amenities. Also, many people might be less motivated to participate in employment due to the low cost of living in urban centers, promoting a culture of dependency. Generally, such a cycle of consumption and the low rate of private investment will undermine economic growth. However, migrants will enjoy increased stability, thus, encouraging them to intermarry, a trend that can solve the problem of declining populations.

The right to the city concept has mixed consequences for nations founded on migration economies. The model can enhance the economic and social contributions of migrants if they can readily afford urban life. Nevertheless, the envisioned benefits of migration might not be realized if incomers do not face the pressure of paying rent or other city life amenities. Regardless, such a probability should not promote inhumane treatment of refugees, who would otherwise be welcome in desperate times.

References

Harvey, D. (2008). The right to the city, NLR 53, September–October 2008. Retrieved from https://newleftreview.org/issues/II53/articles/david-harvey-the-right-to-the-city

Refugees International. (2020, March 19). Responding to the COVID-19 crisis while protecting asylum seekers. Retrieved from https://www.refugeesinternational.org/reports/2020/3/19/responding-to-the-covid-19-crisis-while-protecting-asylum-seekers

Schneider, H. (2020, March 5). ‘They’re addicted to me’: How immigrants keep U.S. heartland cities afloat. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-economy-cities-immigration-analys/theyre-addicted-to-me-how-immigrants-keep-u-s-heartland-cities-afloat-idUSKBN20S1CJ

Zachary, P. (2006). Immigrants as urban saviors: When immigrants revive a city and when they don’t – Lessons from the United States, 1–19.