“There is an ongoing debate among economists over whether social mobility is greater in the United States or Europe. The general evidence on this does not offer a definitive answer, but there is little doubt that most immigrants believe opportunities for themselves and their children are greater in the United States. This is why America is the first choice of most immigrants whenever they can choose where to go, and it also explains the different attitudes of immigrants in Europe and America. As Posner emphasizes, most immigrants, non-Muslim as well as Muslim, feel far more accepted in the United States than in Europe, are less segregated here in both their living arrangements and employment, and appear to advance more easily toward higher level jobs”. Gary Becker, Nobel Prize winning economist, discussing the difference between the US economic model and the European economic model over at the Becker-Posner blog
Mar22nd2006
I get the impression that immigrants are discovering that Canada is a better “first stop” than the U.S. these days. Any thoughts on that?
Jane,
Where do you get your impressions? Are there any links to your sources?
I don’t know if immigrants are really finding Canada to be a better “first stop” on the trip to the American Dream, or not. My impression is that they probably should want to go to Canada instead, at least until the Canadians start to use them as scapegoats, too. I agree that AMerica is the BEST COUNTRY in the world, too, don’t get me wrong, BUT, I think that America, for all of its former glory and actual potential and intelligence, is dropping the ball on the immigration thing by continuing to be stupidly racist in its culture, actively ignoring the fact that immigrants are essential to its survival and pussy-footing around its so-called “immigration policy”. (If the conservatives hate having to “foot the bill” for the illegal immigrants and the government who invites and harbors them, they should topple their government and load the illegals into boxcars or shut up already.) I think the racists enjoy the vitriolic nationalism more than the constructive thinking that has to happen to “fix” the problem. (i.e, the invention of time travel to facilitate a pre-emptive struggle against the imperialistic bloodlust that made this hemisphere what it is in the first place OR a pre-emptive war to kill human ambition, which is the very fuel of the immigrant.)
These are my impressions and my source is my mind.