Wretched Refuse? by Alex Nowrasteh

Wretched Refuse? by Alex Nowrasteh

Economic arguments favoring increased immigration restrictions suggest that immigrants undermine the culture, institutions, and productivity of destination countries. But is this actually true? Nowrasteh and Powell systematically analyze cross-country evidence of potential negative effects caused by immigration relating to economic freedom, corruption, culture, and terrorism. They analyze case studies of mass immigration to the United States, Israel, and Jordan. Their evidence does not support the idea that immigration destroys the institutions responsible for prosperity in the modern world. This nonideological volume makes a qualified case for free immigration and the accompanying prosperity.

'This book tackles the most important academic question confronting recommendations for 'free labor' - whether too much of a good thing at the margin becomes a bad thingThe book consolidates all of the existing research - and then adds more, and then adds more, and then adds even more. It will be a standard work on this question for some time.' Lant Pritchett, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford
'Read this penetrating analysis of immigration and see why there is still a case for the wealth creating powers of the free movement of people as well as goods in international trade. If people don't cross borders, we will be less prosperous.' Vernon Smith, Chapman University and 2002 Nobel Laureate in Economics
'Many thinkers fear the effect of immigration on our policies, our democracy, and our liberty, but barely anyone tries to actually measure these effects. Wretched Refuse? does just this with skill, care, and calm - and ends up being the best book ever written on this subject. Combining a thorough review of past research with much original social science, Nowrasteh and Powell conclude that the immigration pessimists are paranoid. The political effects of immigration have been benign for centuries, and remain so today.' Bryan Caplan, George Mason University and co-author of the New York Times best-selling Open Borders: The Science and Ethics of Immigration
'In Wretched Refuse?, Alex Nowrasteh and Ben Powell consider - and ultimately reject - the claim that immigrants import ill-suited institutions from their home countries, thereby undermining economic growth. In this clear-eyed treatment, the authors bring a wealth of evidence to bear, both modern and historical, that, if anything, immigrants are transformed by their adoptive societies and support rising productivity. This lucid volume should be of interest to economists and policy makers interesting in designing smart immigration policy.' Leah Boustan, Princeton University
'Wretched Refuse? takes head-on the claim that the direct economic benefits of immigration are offset by indirect costs such as corruption, terrorism or the erosion of cultural norms. With careful empirical analysis, looking both across countries and at case studies, Nowrasteh and Powell show convincingly that there is little or no evidence to substantiate such fears. This is a timely and important contribution to the broader economic case for liberalising immigration policy.' Jonathan Portes, King's College London
'… highly original, and takes a chainsaw to the most intellectually respectable case against immigration … they demolish a big argument against existing levels of immigration, and suggest that most rich countries would benefit from being more open. Mr Biden and his advisers should devour their book.' The Economist
'… a must read for anyone interested in better understanding the historical and social forces governing immigration law, anti-immigrant movements, and the contributions of immigrants to society ... this work offers thought for positive transformation and progress toward social change, equality, and justice in difficult and uncertain times ... Highly recommended.' M. G. Urbina, Choice

Powell, Benjamin: - Benjamin Powell is the Director of the Free Market Institute at Texas Tech University and a Visiting Professor in the Rawls College of Business. He is a Past President of the Association of Private Enterprise Education and a Senior Fellow with the Independent Institute. Professor Powell is editor of Making Poor Nations Rich: Entrepreneurship and the Process of Development (2008) and co-editor of Housing America: Building Out of a Crisis (2009). He is author of more than 50 scholarly articles and policy studies. His primary fields of research are economic development, Austrian economics, and public choice. Dr Powell's scholarly research on sweatshops has been published in Comparative Economic Studies, the Journal of Labor Research, Human Rights Quarterly, and the Journal of Business Ethics. His research findings have been reported in more than 100 popular press outlets including the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. He received his PhD in economics from George Mason University.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781108702454
ISBN 10	1108702457
Title	Wretched Refuse?
Author	Alex Nowrasteh
Series	Cambridge Studies In Economics Choice And Society
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Cambridge University Press
Year published	2020-12-17
Number of pages	240
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.