Trading Barriers : Immigration and the Remaking of Globalization

Why Have Countries Increasingly Restricted Immigration Even When They Have Opened Their Markets To Foreign Competition Through Trade Or Allowed Their Firms To Move Jobs Overseas? In Trading Barriers, Margaret Peters Argues That The Increased Ability Of Firms To Produce Anywhere In The World Combined With Growing International Competition Due To Lowered Trade Barriers Has Led To Greater Limits On Immigration. Peters Explains That Businesses Relying On Low-skill Labor Have Been The Major Proponents Of Greater Openness To Immigrants. Immigration Helps Lower Costs, Making These Businesses More Competitive At Home And Abroad. However, Increased International Competition, Due To Lower Trade Barriers And Greater Economic Development In The Developing World, Has Led Many Businesses In Wealthy Countries To Close Or Move Overseas. Productivity Increases Have Allowed Those Firms That Have Chosen To Remain Behind To Do More With Fewer Workers. Together, These Changes In The International Economy Have Sapped The Crucial Business Support Necessary For More Open Immigration Policies At Home, Empowered Anti-immigrant Groups, And Spurred Greater Controls On Migration. Debunking The Commonly Held Belief That Domestic Social Concerns Are The Deciding Factor In Determining Immigration Policy, Trading Barriers Demonstrates The Important And Influential Role Played By International Trade And Capital Movements. -- From Back Cover. Immigration And The Shape Of Globalization -- Immigration, Trade, And Firm Mobility : A Political Dilemma -- Immigration Policy And Two Eras Of Globalization -- Changing Industry Preferences In The United States -- Policy-makers' Responses To Firms In The United States -- Immigration Policy In Small Countries : The Cases Of Singapore And The Netherlands -- The Rise Of Anti-immigration Sentiment And Undocumented Immigration As Explanations For Immigration Policy -- Immigration In An Increasingly Globalized World -- Appendix A: Collection And Coding Of The Immigration Policy Variable. Margaret E. Peters. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Why have countries increasingly restricted immigration even when they have opened their markets to foreign competition through trade or allowed their firms to move jobs overseas? This book argues that the increased ability of firms to produce anywhere in the world combined with growing international competition due to lowered trade barriers has led to greater limits on immigration. The book explains that businesses relying on low-skill labor have been the major proponents of greater openness to immigrants. Immigration helps lower costs, making these businesses more competitive at home and abroad. However, increased international competition, due to lower trade barriers and greater economic development in the developing world, has led many businesses in wealthy countries to close or move overseas. Productivity increases have allowed those firms that have chosen to remain behind to do more with fewer workers. Together, these changes in the international economy have sapped the crucial business support necessary for more open immigration policies at home, empowered anti-immigrant groups, and spurred greater controls on migration. Debunking the commonly held belief that domestic social concerns are the deciding factor in determining immigration policy, this book demonstrates the important and influential role played by international trade and capital movements. Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Dedication......Page 6 Contents......Page 8 List of Figures......Page 10 List of Tables......Page 12 Acknowledgments......Page 14 A Note to the Reader on the Online Appendixes......Page 18 1 Immigration and the Shape of Globalization......Page 22 2 Immigration, Trade, and Firm Mobility: A Political Dilemma......Page 36 3 Immigration Policy and Two Eras of Globalization......Page 62 4 Changing Industry Preferences in the United States......Page 90 5 Policymakers’ Responses to Firms in the United States......Page 137 6 Immigration Policy in Small Countries: The Cases of Singapore and the Netherlands......Page 183 7 The Rise of Anti-Immigration Sentiment and Undocumented Immigration as Explanations for Immigration Policy......Page 227 8 Immigration in an Increasingly Globalized World......Page 243 Appendix A: Collection and Coding of the Immigration Policy Variable......Page 264 Bibliography......Page 316 Index......Page 334