Genuine confusion here - are you taking the position that nations should not discriminate when choosing who they allow to immigrate,
My position is that states shouldn't be empowered to allow or deny immigration, because freedom of movement is a human right. But separately, I think it's unjust that laws give preferential treatment for the wealthy (or education status as a PC indicator thereof). (Actually it's not just education; a lot of countries have explicit wealth discrimination in the form "investor" categories, for example the US' EB-5 program).
I have a small-government ideology; I believe laws should have highly compelling justifications, and I consider the two reasons for restricted immigration (one, central economic planning, and two, control of culture) not sufficiently so.
> My position is that states shouldn't be empowered to allow or deny immigration, because freedom of movement is a human right.
Any government is a sovereign nation. The laws are decided by a democratically elected legislature.
Are you proposing that state sovereignty should be abolished and power should be removed from a democratic legislature?
> I have a small-government ideology;
Then your ideology and your proposal are completely inconsistent. Rich countries will be flooded by poor and unskilled immigrants. These immigrants will then vote and fight for a redistribution of the wealth (through social services, etc...). Simple market forces will tell you that this would happen.
What is left is a big government with a small tax base (of former citizens).
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On a side note, I believe that immigration discrimination is good. It allows minorities who are productive members of socialist societies (i.e. tax heavy) to flee in to countries where their skills are valued.
This then forces poor countries with socialist tendencies to either re-evaluate their taxation policies or face a huge brain drain.
Then your ideology and your proposal are completely inconsistent. Rich countries will be flooded by poor and unskilled immigrants. These immigrants will then vote and fight for a redistribution of the wealth (through social services, etc...). Simple market forces will tell you that this would happen.
I don't propose that states automatically grant welfare to any visitors; it's free movement that I claim is a fundamental right, not free money. Nor do I propose immigrants have automatic citizens' votes, not in any immediate time period. Nor that such welfare issues be up for a democratic vote -- they could be a constitutional issue instead.
I don't see how, with these qualifications, this leads to a collapsed welfare state. Without welfare guarantees (at least not for new immigrants), there's no selection tendency for rent-seeking. Instead there's selection pressure for hard-working people, living in states where their efforts are undervalued (because of broken government or broken economy).
On a side note, I believe that immigration discrimination is good. It allows minorities who are productive members of socialist societies (i.e. tax heavy) to flee in to countries where their skills are valued.
I think you've misunderstood your argument. You've argued that permitting highly-skilled immigration is beneficial; but not that restricting low-skilled immigration isn't. What's the economic argument for trade barriers on low-skilled labor?
> Nor do I propose immigrants have automatic citizens' votes,
Whether you propose it or not, they will fight it. And they will get citizenship through other means (such as ancor babies and chain weddings).
> Nor that such welfare issues be up for a democratic vote
You know that in many countries illegal immigrants protest for welfare benefits (even though they are not citizens). Whether you like it or not, they will claim it.
If an immigrant has cancer, you cannot just send him away from the hospital.
> You've argued that permitting highly-skilled immigration is beneficial; but not that restricting low-skilled immigration isn't. What's the economic argument for trade barriers on low-skilled labor?
The fact that low-skilled labourers are often a net-expense to most governments (i.e. more tax money is spent on them and their social ills).
The lower strata of society is also more likely to be involved in crime (which affects the rest of the population) and have explosive population growth. The latter is important since in 99.99% of countries, children born in that country gets citizenship.
My position is that states shouldn't be empowered to allow or deny immigration, because freedom of movement is a human right. But separately, I think it's unjust that laws give preferential treatment for the wealthy (or education status as a PC indicator thereof). (Actually it's not just education; a lot of countries have explicit wealth discrimination in the form "investor" categories, for example the US' EB-5 program).
I have a small-government ideology; I believe laws should have highly compelling justifications, and I consider the two reasons for restricted immigration (one, central economic planning, and two, control of culture) not sufficiently so.