The Economic Consequences of ImmigrationImmigration remains an emotional and fiercely debated subject, yet it continues to receive little attention from economists. In a newly available, updated edition, this pathbreaking book offers an objective and comprehensive inquiry into the economic consequences of immigration into the United States and concludes that immigration is, on the whole, beneficial to U.S. natives. It also covers a wide range of data, spanning long stretches of history, that indicate experience in Canada and Australian is similar. The findings are relevant to most developed countries. Updated to reflect Simon's most recent work on immigration and with a new foreword by the author of Fresh Blood: The New American Immigrants, this theoretical, empirical study systematically examines each of the significant economic mechanisms by which immigrants affect natives. These include the transfer-and-tax system, production capital, human capital, physical infrastructure, productivity, environmental externalities, and unemployment. In Simon's inimitable style--both analytically sophisticated and accessible--The Economic Consequences of Immigration debunks many of the suppositions still at large, demonstrating that immigrants displace fewer jobs than they create, are better educated than the majority of U.S. workers, and are no more of a drain on the welfare system than the general population. This important book is ideal for courses on labor and population and is useful as a reference book to researchers and journalists examining the many issues surrounding immigration. The late Julian L. Simon was Professor of Business Administration, University of Maryland, College Park, and Adjunct Scholar at the Cato Institute. From reviews of the first edition: "Julian Simon has given us not only the best and most comprehensive book ever written on the economic consequences of immigration but a book that deals directly with the public-policy issues. It is an essential book not only for economists but for policymakers as the nation continues to debate who and how many shall come through the golden door inthe months and years to come." --Reason "One is tempted to use the word 'monumental' for this study of the effects of immigration. . .It would be hard to find any source of information on which the author has not drawn." --Kenneth E. Boulding, Social Science Quarterly |
Contents
List of Figures | ix |
List of Tables | xiii |
Foreword | xix |
Preface | xxvii |
Acknowledgements | xxxiii |
Introduction | 1 |
Some General Theory of Immigrations Consequences | 12 |
The Demographic Dimensions of Immigration into the United States | 22 |
Job Displacement Theory of Immigrants and Native Unemployment | 220 |
Empirical Studies of LaborMarket Effects | 237 |
The Effects of Immigrants upon Income Distribution and Prices | 269 |
The Sending Countries the Immigrants Themselves and the World as a Whole | 291 |
The Question of Illegal Immigrants and Guestworkers | 302 |
Evaluation of Immigration Policies | 335 |
Conclusions and Summary of Main Findings | 365 |
Are there Grounds for Limiting Immigration? | 375 |
Behavioral Characteristics of Immigrants | 60 |
Effects of Immigrants upon the Public Coffers | 112 |
How Much Welfare and Public Services do Immigrants and Natives Use? | 139 |
The Effect on Natives Incomes from Immigrants Use of Capital Goods | 153 |
The Effects on Technology Productivity and Native Human Capital | 175 |
Impacts upon Natural Resources and the Environment | 197 |
The Overall Effect of Immigrants upon Natives Standard of Living | 206 |
Public Opinion toward Immigration | 377 |
Views of Economists and other Social Scientists toward Immigration | 385 |
Immigration International Relations and National Security | 390 |
| 393 | |
| 425 | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
additional American amount analysis arrived Asian Australia average benefits born brain drain Canada Census ceteris paribus chapter Chiswick citizens cohort cost discussed earnings economic effect of immigrants emigration entry estimate evidence Females figure foreign foreign-born groups guestworkers higher Hispanics human capital illegal aliens illegal immigration immi immigrant family immigrants and natives impact important increase industries investment Julian Julian L labor force labor market labor-force participation legal immigrants less Los Angeles County lower males Mexican million native family native unemployment native-born negative effect number of immigrants occupations output overall participation rates payments percent percentage period persons physical capital population density population growth productivity public coffers reasons recent refugees relatively Research sample schooling sending countries shows Simon skills Social Security Source Statistics Table taxes paid theory tion undocumented unemployed unemployment rates United wages Wall Street Journal welfare services workers