9. Migration

Migration is the voluntary or forced transition of a person or persons from one country to another (or to another place in the same country). The main reasons for voluntary migration are economic: better job prospects and hopes to build a better future. On the contrary, forced migration is characterized by violent events forcing people to migrate such as wars, natural disasters, and political turmoil. In the latter case, people are supposed to receive international protection.

Nationalism

Nationalists do not favor migration of any kind. On one side, they claim, migrants often have differing norms and values which leads to cultural conflicts in the long run. On the other side, they argue, these migrants then change the political landscape by requesting political participation. Economically, nationalists emphasize that migration creates fewer employment opportunities for the citizens of the nation. Additionally, migration could create a surplus in the workforce which, therefore, would add further pressure on the state´s welfare system or lead to a decrease of salaries. Nationalists also often emphasize that economic migration leads to the economic decline in the countries which emigrants left.

Globalism

Globalists tend to favor migration. This dynamic, so they argue, led to an unprecedented degree of interconnectedness among states and other actors. That is why globalists promote the free movement of individuals across state borders and advise states to provide incentives for workers to move. For globalists, migration is an important factor for a country´s increase in wealth and economic progress. Migrants can significantly benefit a nation´s workforce as they can bring new skills with them and, therefore, create new businesses and job opportunities. Additionally, as many nations face the situation that their populations get gradually older due to a deficit of births in comparison to deaths, migrants can counteract those demographic changes.

Debate on Migration

In recent years, the discourse surrounding migration became particularly heated in many countries around the world. Thereby, two main camps stand out: One, more left-leaning (globalist) part of the population regards migration, both voluntary and forced, as a human right as every human should be able to seek a life of fulfillment and economic opportunity, even if this life happens to be located across national borders. On the other hand, another, more right-leaning (nationalist) part of the population emphasizes that difficulties could arise due to cultural differences and argues that the state should prioritize the well-being of its own citizens. All societies must deal with the issue of migration, and the state in Hegemony is no exception.