Debates about immigration nowadays tend to concentrate on the impact newcomers have on social cohesion. Advocates of a more open policy argue that populations are aging and workforces are diminishing, so greater immigration is needed to sustain high living standards. Their opponents focus on the disruptive effects of immigration, particularly among the most vulnerable citizens in countries that already suffer from high unemployment. But what is needed is a deeper and more global perspective than either side allows.
Debates about immigration nowadays tend to concentrate on the impact newcomers have on social cohesion. Advocates of a more open policy argue that populations are aging and workforces are diminishing, so greater immigration is needed to sustain high living standards. Their opponents focus on the disruptive effects of immigration, particularly among the most vulnerable citizens in countries that already suffer from high unemployment. But what is needed is a deeper and more global perspective than either side allows.