Immigrants are incoming assets

By PDS | 11 October 2005

During the British general election campaign in May, immigration became a hot issue. Across Europe in high unemployment countries the issue is highly charged politically. So its interesting that John Bercow MP, a right-of-centre politician, has produced a pamphlet for the Social Market Foundation that argues that recent Conservative party policies on immigration and asylum have been misguided, not least from an economic perspective. Immigration, he states, is a feature of a successful, capitalist trading nation in the 21st century which is consistent with the Conservative ethos of free enterprise, the work ethic and self reliance.

Free traders believe not only in the free movement of capital, goods and services, but also people. In the 18th century the philosopher economist Frederic Bastiat said that, "If goods don't cross borders, then armies will." This may not be the case in Western Europe today, but in other parts of the world it is still applicable. If the Western world closes its borders to immigration, it will itself be worse off.