Illiegal migration into the EU from Africa and the Middle East

Submitted by Andy (United Kingdom), Oct 21, 2005 at 10:13

What suprises me is that since gloabalisation is meant to do what capitalists always intended before barriers were erected: allow the free flow of money, products and labour. Since your comments come essential from within the American viewpoint - as in what's going to happen in the U.S.? - one might add that the oranges of California (and probably its grapes for that very nice Chardonnay) have always been picked by migrant labour. The thing companies in countries like America like about such illegal workers is that they can claim no rights either as citizens or as workers. Not even heath ansd safety. Practically no different from China where thousands of ex-factory workers hobble around having lost their limbs in unregulated though government sanctioned factories.

In contrast the Europe, America has a long a not distinguished history of squashing workers attempt to obtain minimum rights, so though the mass influx of illegal immigrants will be undesirable for as well for social reasons, it would have, is, one presumes, been perfectly acceptable from the point of view of maximising profit.

The EU is thinking through what creating an enormous market to rival the U.S. is going to mean in the long term. It knows this market will act as a magnet to economic migrants. What would happen if there were no national or trade barriers? Would it be worse or better. And what does that question imply? Does it mean good or bad economics or is it merely a question of social cohersion and stability? Or both?

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