Politicians and Their Fences

From the Great Wall of China to the Berlin Wall, barriers to prevent the arrival of “invaders,” terrorists, drug traffickers and immigrants crowd the world. There are tariff barriers to “protect the domestic industry,” plus visas and passports without which no one can enter or leave any country.

Politicians construct these barriers to prevent integration and the natural intermingling of peoples, resulting in breaches of the peace. It cannot be otherwise, since “authority” takes these actions, i.e. states hold the monopoly on violence. Violence, as we know, always destroys. Perhaps the most ironic barriers prevent entry into the “Land of Liberty,” meaning the high-tech fences built by the U.S. on the Mexican border to curb immigration. Ironically, immigration increased thereafter, demonstrating that prohibitions on freedom run on short legs, until finally the economic crisis pushed back the migrants.

A few years ago, Bush approved the construction of this wall, stretching about 1,200 miles in different trenches over a third of the border with Mexico, at a cost exceeding $6 billion. It reminds me of the Berlin Wall and those who died trying to cross it. The number of immigrants who die trying to enter the U.S. today is almost 400 per year, compared to 241 recorded in 1999. Their deaths are attributed generally to exhaustion in the desert.

The crossing over of “illegals” from Mexico increases, with less than two months until enforcement of the new law in Arizona begins. In 2009, Arizona spent $2.7 billion to seize “illegals.” Arrests have risen six percent so far in 2010, compared with a decline of nine percent along the rest of the border.

Now, Obama has ordered the deployment of 1,200 National Guard troops to the border area, under pressure from Republicans, who wanted no less than 6,000. He also seeks $500 million for border protection and police activities.

According to the United Nations, there are 200 million migrants worldwide, and the majority (40 million) has gone to the United States, accounting for 20 percent of global migration. Russia has taken in 13.3 million and Germany holds 7.3 million. Minorities now account for one-third of the U.S. population and in 2050 will reach 54 percent of the total. The Hispanic population, currently 15 percent, nearly tripled from 46.7 million in 2008 to 132.8 million today. At this rate of growth, Hispanics will make up 30 percent of the total by 2050. Blacks will move very little, from 14 percent today (41.1 million) to 15 percent (65.7 million) in 2050.

For some nations, remittances from those who immigrated to the USA are the second largest source of external financing after foreign direct investment. Mexico receives about $14 billion annually. Remittances represent 13 percent of the GDP for El Salvador, 12 percent for the Dominican Republic and 10 percent for Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Overall, annual remittances to Latin America total approximately $40 billion.

Thus, human mobility appears to be a decisive factor in global economic growth, the reduction of poverty and the security of peace. This mobility belies the demagogic populist stance that all immigrants come from countries where the market faces strong interventionism (“protections”) to settle where there is more respect for personal freedom.

According to the World Economic Forum, known for its meetings in Davos, Switzerland, in a ranking of 125 countries, Singapore was the least “protectionist” in the world, followed by Hong Kong, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, New Zealand, Norway, Canada, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Chile has the best ranking in Latin America, coming in at 18th place, while countries that are net suppliers of migrants are far behind: Brazil, 87; Colombia, 91; Argentina, 95; Bolivia, 98; and Venezuela, 121.

In short, the message to policymakers is clear: quit “defending” us, because violence only destroys.