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The dilemma of Europe's new refugee crisis

The dilemma of Europe's new refugee crisis

The constant scenes of migrants trying to enter Europe and being violently repelled are always very striking. Most migrants reach Europe illegally by sailing in dinghies across the Mediterranean Sea, which causes many deaths by drowning. It is estimated that more than 2,500 people drown each year while crossing. It is harder to understand if we consider that the arguments used by rich countries to hinder the entry of immigrants is the widespread perception that foreigners steal jobs and exploit social security. There are studies that do not support this impression. On the contrary, countries that adopt serious policies to shelter immigrants tend to gain from it.

Economist Bryan Caplan and philosopher William MacAskill argue that one measure that would benefit billions of people is to open borders on a large scale. The world economy would gain a lot from labor mobility. Some estimates put it as high as 50% of global GDP. More conservative calculations put the benefit in the range of trillions of dollars a year.

The issue comes down to circumstantial and not very structural aspects. As Europe goes through economic crises, European countries tend to close their borders to immigrants. For this reason, there is growing tension among the countries that make up the European community to create laws to regulate the arrival of immigrants.

Behind the restrictions on migrants

The main reason for restrictions on immigrants is not linked to economic factors, but has to do with ethnic origin.

I explain.

Since the beginning of the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine, around 3 million people have been forced to leave Ukrainian territory and seek refuge in other countries. In less than a month of conflict, more than twice as many Ukrainian refugees have arrived in Europe compared to the controversial refugee crisis of 2015, when, according to UNHCR data, around 1 million people sought asylum in Europe. The current situation goes far beyond any other immigration crisis in the last century. However, there is a clear difference in treatment by European countries.

The reception of Ukrainian refugees has become a major community project in Continental Europe. A clear example is Poland, which is currently home to around 2 million Ukrainians. The country opened its borders almost immediately, but during the first crisis with refugees from the Middle East, it was accused by the European Union of non-cooperation in refugee relocation obligations. Protests were held against receiving asylum seekers on its territory, a clear marker of difference between the country that today campaigns to support Ukrainians crossing its borders. 

Other examples of discrepant treatment of refugees from the Middle East and Africa with the warm reception of Ukrainians can be found in Slavic countries. While Denmark facilitates the arrival of migrants from Ukraine, it asks Syrians to leave. And during the Syrian crisis last decade, many countries said they could not cope with so many migrants in such a short time.

Immigration and refugee human rights analysts have taken a stand on the selectivity of countries when receiving immigrants. Racial and cultural criteria have never been assumed, as in the cases of Syria, North Africa, Afghanistan and, to a certain extent, third world countries. The very legitimacy of these immigrants has always been questioned. Their intentions or the legitimacy of their claims were questioned, which is not the case with the current Ukrainian refugees. There is clearly discrimination in favor of white people, understood as Europeans, to the detriment of non-white people from the third world.

It is possible that the cultural rapprochement between Ukraine and the rest of Europe facilitates this support from the idea that Ukraine is part of Europe. There is a question of identity. Ukrainians are considered Europeans, they are culturally close to several countries, mainly the Baltic countries, and they are part of a Slavic culture, they have historical-political links with the rest of Europe and, therefore, they are part of what is considered the great Europe. This is what really influences the decision to come to the aid of the Ukrainian population.

Social conflicts from the refugee crisis

It is therefore possible that we are facing a crisis with no foreseeable short-term solution, as welcoming immigrants differently on the basis of their ethnicity will lead to internal social conflicts.

The fact is that in countries more open to immigration, with serious integration policies, people become part of the population that inhabits a given place. They are included within the population that receives them and this tends to generate many economic and social benefits, with greater availability of labor and tolerance for different cultures. Countries that isolate immigrants and place them in ghettos - as France has done with Africans - tend to generate a cauldron of social tension. The original immigrants are more passive, given the recent memory of the horrors they experienced and the natural gratitude to the country that received them. But their children, already born in the receiving country, usually have dual citizenship and, because they have not lived through the conflicts their parents have experienced, are more demanding and demanding. This, combined with a policy of discrimination and non-integration, generates impactful social conflicts, as well as boosting fascist discourses of ethnic discrimination.

It is too early to predict what will happen in Europe with this new refugee crisis. Integrating all refugees into society, regardless of their origin, is the basic solution, but this integration seems to suffer from political restrictions - with the exception of the Ukrainians - disguised as negative economic impacts. As Caplan says, immigration is a solution in search of a problem.

About Author

Maurício Ferro

What do soccer, wine, law, politics, and economics have in common? Much more than you can imagine. And contrary to what the popular saying says, they can and should be debated and analyzed, yes. Welcome to Maurício Ferro's site, a channel to create and exchange thoughts and opinions. Maurício Ferro is a lawyer, graduated from PUC university in Rio de Janeiro, with a Master's degree and specializations from universities such as the London School and the University of London. He studied OPM at Harvard Business School. Author of published works in the commercial and capital markets areas, and acting in the Board of Directors of large companies, he based his legal and executive career with a focus on Business Law. But his passion goes beyond the corporate world. A passionate Flamenguista, Mauricio knows the ins and outs of the professional world of soccer and other sports. He is a partner in innovative companies such as 2Blive, a global startup focused on technological solutions to fill the education gap, especially in areas of great need such as Africa. He also invests in the Flow Kana company, based in California, and focused on the scientific production of cannabis for various purposes, such as medicinal, clothing production, or recreational use. To all these ingredients, add a deep knowledge of wine and the delicious ways of winemaking. That is the recipe for what you will find here.

2 Comments

  • Text as always very well written, comprehensive. I would like to add that I do not know the subject, but I have some knowledge of what is happening in Italy, through my teacher, who reads the main Italian newspapers daily, besides having many relatives and friends in the country.
    Hundreds and hundreds of Africans arrive in Syracuse every week, loaded with diseases, without any documents, without ever having received a single dose of a vaccine, without any culture, which poses various risks to the population.
    On our last trip to Italy, a few years ago, we were approached and followed by a Senegalese man, who asked for money, saying "hunger and fame" non-stop.
    Integrating this growing contingent is a big problem. It's not a question of filling vacancies with cheap labor, but of the risks they pose to the population.
    Much more appropriate in my view would be the anti-war, anti-hunger policy, factors that cause the exodus.
    Then I come to the Church's humanitarian task: fighting famine, war and other problems in Africa. The Vatican has a power it does not use....

  • The text reminded me of the movie - The Swimmer - a true story of two sisters fleeing the war in Syria and trying to get to Germany. It's worth watching.

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