International Migration

E. Wesley F. Peterson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Marianna Khachaturyan, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Document Type Article

Copyright 2017 University of Nebraska.

Abstract

Labor is the world’s most valuable commodity—yet thanks to strict immigration regulation, most of it goes to waste. (Caplan & Naik, 2015) World economic output (currently about $75 trillion) could double if people were allowed to move freely in response to economic opportunities in other countries (Caplan and Naik, 2015). Workers in developing countries have very low productivity because they lack the capital and technology available in high-income countries. In addition, they live in countries in which the rule of law is often absent. Moving to high-income countries would increase their productivity substantially leading to much greater world economic output. In addition to increasing global income, open borders would reduce poverty in low-income countries, lower global inequality and benefit the migrants by allowing them to escape poverty, war, or oppressive governments.