Observations

It is interesting to see how differently the issue of immigration is perceived in various parts of the world. In the US, immigration is seen as a threat to the labor movement. The flavor is exquisitely populist, with a definite slant toward the left of the political spectrum.

In Europe, the issue of immigration is perceived as a far right issue, dear to zealots, and to Nazi sympathizers. The press, when it reports the concerns of the Europeans on this subject, does not hesitate to show pictures of far right extremists with their symbols resembling the horrible signs of the past.

Who is right? Who is wrong? It depends on how you look at the issue.

My wife is Swiss. She is from Biel, a town close to Bern. In the past, Switzerland had to rely on laborers mainly from Southern Italy, Greece, Spain, and Turkey. The reason was the low Swiss unemployment rate. These people were needed and they were immediately accepted and welcome. Infrastructures such as housing and schools were ready for them, to make them feel part of the Swiss system.

This is exactly what happens to immigrants in the US. They are needed. They know where to go. They come here to work hard, to "make it", so to speak. In Switzerland, immigrants behaved properly because they appreciated the opportunity offered them. They behaved properly because they sensed and respected the high Swiss ethics for work and discipline. Immigrants in the US also respect the strong Anglo-Saxon ethics for work and discipline.

The problem with the current immigration issues in Europe is that immigrants from Eastern Europe and Africa are not needed. There are no jobs or infrastructures waiting for them. They do not know where to go and what to do to survive. In Europe the unemployment rate is still close to double digit in large countries such as Italy, France, and Germany. Result: human desperation and frustration resulting in most disparate crimes.

We should not jump to conclusions and tag the European animosity against immigration as a far right movement. The issue is that open immigration is causing serious imbalances in the European cities, imbalances that were unknown a few years ago. For instance, my wife's cousin's house was burglarized twice in the little town of Biel. Something unheard of before.

Cities do not know how to integrate these people coming from the most different countries: Sri Lanka, Albania, Balkans, Poland, Russia, Philippines, Middle East, and Africa. There are no jobs. There are no infrastructures. Only human desperation caused by a few bureaucrats in Brussels who allow this drama to unfold. It is also human that the local citizens feel at a loss for what to do. Clearly there is lack of leadership, which is a typical European problem.

However, as a wise friend pointed out, the above issues are part of a much larger problem. Poverty is increasing and poor people swarm rich countries. This is a very serious global problem that needs to be tackled decisively. This is not a far right or far left issue. This is everybody's problem.

(This Observations appeared in the 7/24/2000 issue of The Peter Dag Portfolio).

George Dagnino, PhD
Editor, The Peter Dag Portfolio. Since 1977
Ranked best market timer in the 12 and 6 months ending 8/20/10 by Timer Digest

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