Immigration
With immigration in the news today, its time to offer a perspective I haven’t really seen out there yet. Maybe someone has talked about it, but I’m not tuned in to that particular conversation if it exists. All I see is the back and forth about human rights, secure borders, racism, and sovereignty. You can fill up on that stuff elsewhere.
I’m curious about the Mexican government’s hardball stance that their citizens should have the right to flee their country and find work elsewhere. Doesn’t that seem curious to anyone else? “You must let our people flee this cesspool that we govern!” Doesn’t that call some attention to their own ability to govern?
Mexico is rich in natural resources. They have skilled labor. There’s really no reason they should be poor.
Except for all of that corruption.
Mexico is infested with a corrupt government, funneling money to both themselves and friends. They legislate to crush competition and prop up their partners business interests. Hordes of cash are sloshing around in the pockets of those in power. If you don’t have well-connected friends, you can’t go into business down there.
Why does this continue?
Revolution and reform is usually inevitable when a population is constrained by the power of the state. The entire populace isn’t inclined to revolt, but there will always be a segment of motivated, determined people willing to get up and fight should conditions continue to stifle them.
And it takes a motivated, determined people to contemplate crossing the border, living in a foreign land, and undertake back-breaking labor in search of a better life. Throughout history, migrating people are generally better examples of those they leave behind – it is easy to sit still in declining conditions, quite another thing to set out over the horizon and face the unknown.
So Mexico finds a safety valve, bleeding off discontent through the open border with America. The passive, tired, infirm and obedient stay behind, unlikely to challenge the status quo, while those that could threaten the cozy deal the government has established for themselves head north.
Illegal immigration permits a corrupt Mexico to carry on with business as usual.
If illegal immigrants want to help their homeland, they need to go home and fight it out. Until then, the migration will continue.
Filed under: Politics
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