Do immigrants 'help' or 'hurt' the U.S. economically? Will large numbers of immigrants enhance our economic well-being or will they take jobs from American workers and lower our standard of living? Briggs warns that, unlike earlier times, immigrants arriving today are having an adverse effect on our economy: Industrial and occupational patterns have changed dramatically from what they were earlier in this century. Moore argues that immigrants have always been, and will continue to be, good for the U.S. economy.
| |||||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Vernon Briggs is a professor in the New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University. He is the author of Mass Immigration and the National Interest. Stephen Moore directs the Cato Institute's fiscal policy studies program. He is the author of Privatization: A Strategy for Taming the Federal Budget.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Authors
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Hardcover
In the Preface to this 1994 book, the Editor writes, "Vernon Briggs advocates stronger and more restrictive immigration policies, and a reassessment of the priorities established for admission of immigrants... Stephen Moore argues that immigrants bring much-needed 'skills, talents, energies, and ambitions' to the United States, not only giving us a major competitive advantage economically, but also strengthening and rejuvenating our national spirit."
Briggs notes that at the time when large numbers of immigrants were filling the needs of an expanding urban work force, "There were millions of underemployed citizens living and working in the nation's vast rural sector... Most notable of these were the millions of freed slaves from the rural South." That was in fact Booker T. Washington's point in his famous 1895 Atlanta Exposition speech; Briggs adds, "But his words were not heeded." (Pg. 13-14)
He points out that with immigration, demographic changes, and women entering the workforce, "there has been no general shortage of labor since 1965 that might warrant the dramatic increase in immigration that has been permitted to occur." (Pg. 34) He suggests that what is needed is to "address the mounting mismatch between the skills of citizens and the emerging skills and education requirements of the workplace." (Pg. 48)
Moore admits that "The prospect that the availability of welfare benefits would attract immigrants is a valid concern" (Pg. 91), and that "Immediate access to welfare is a policy that is bad for refugees and U.S. taxpayers." (Pg. 97) He also concedes that, in some industries, "immigrants have undeniably taken jobs from US-born workers." (Pg. 104) But Moore also points out that several studies show that immigrants to the U.S. "tend to be more skilled, more highly educated, wealthier, and generally more economically successful than the average citizen in their home countries." (Pg. 143)
This book is a thought-provoking analysis of both sides of this controversial issue.
Briggs notes that at the time when large numbers of immigrants were filling the needs of an expanding urban work force, "There were millions of underemployed citizens living and working in the nation's vast rural sector... Most notable of these were the millions of freed slaves from the rural South." That was in fact Booker T. Washington's point in his famous 1895 Atlanta Exposition speech; Briggs adds, "But his words were not heeded." (Pg. 13-14)
He points out that with immigration, demographic changes, and women entering the workforce, "there has been no general shortage of labor since 1965 that might warrant the dramatic increase in immigration that has been permitted to occur." (Pg. 34) He suggests that what is needed is to "address the mounting mismatch between the skills of citizens and the emerging skills and education requirements of the workplace." (Pg. 48)
Moore admits that "The prospect that the availability of welfare benefits would attract immigrants is a valid concern" (Pg. 91), and that "Immediate access to welfare is a policy that is bad for refugees and U.S. taxpayers." (Pg. 97) He also concedes that, in some industries, "immigrants have undeniably taken jobs from US-born workers." (Pg. 104) But Moore also points out that several studies show that immigrants to the U.S. "tend to be more skilled, more highly educated, wealthier, and generally more economically successful than the average citizen in their home countries." (Pg. 143)
This book is a thought-provoking analysis of both sides of this controversial issue.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
