Could open borders eliminate poverty?

No, you read it....

I understand what you're saying.  I just think it's a selfish position, which is easy to take if you're already living a first world life.

I think it’s an excellent question, but I’m not sure about the answer. On the one hand, by sheer luck I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to live in both the US and the UK and what makes me more “entitled” to that than the next person? I could have just as easily been born in Ethiopia or Afghanistan. On the other hand, I’m not sure how open borders would work. It’s a great idea in theory, but I don’t think we can be sure of what the reality would be.

I guess I’m of the opinion that completely closing a country’s borders or completely allowing for the free movement of people are overly simple solutions for a complex issue.

I think it’s an excellent question, but I’m not sure about the answer. On the one hand, by sheer luck I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to live in both the US and the UK and what makes me more “entitled” to that than the next person? I could have just as easily been born in Ethiopia or Afghanistan. On the other hand, I’m not sure how open borders would work. It’s a great idea in theory, but I don’t think we can be sure of what the reality would be.

I guess I’m of the opinion that completely closing a country’s borders or completely allowing for the free movement of people are overly simple solutions for a complex issue.

Well said.

It is definitely a complex problem with no simple solution.

But consider this: if open borders could be the solution to the elimination of poverty, why is there poverty in the US, the UK, Germany......among the "native" population? If it were solely a matter of having access to opportunities, then it would seem that all those with access would be living the good life. But sadly, that isn't the case, and again part of that is due to differences in individual abilities. 

Poverty is universal and the reasons are complex, and I doubt whether there IS a solution barring a drastic reduction in the population completing for finite resources. When I took my first population geography class as an undergraduate back in the 70's we talked about this, and discussed the concept of Zero Population Growth, which I personally support.

In 1970, the estimated world population was 3.7 billion; currently it's move than 7 billion. Even in the 70's, there was real concern that the earth could NOT sustain the 3.7 billion never mind 7+ billion we have now. Poverty has always existed in relative and real terms, and even with a decline in the rate of growth, will continue to exist. Eliminating it for an individual via access to opportunities in Country A does not eliminate poverty for the residents of Country B.

It's not a selfish position; I have no issues with anyone who wants a better life whether at home or in a new country. I just believe that open borders won't solve this particular problem, and agree with PlainPearl that it's an overly simple solution for a complex issue.

But consider this: if open borders could be the solution to the elimination of poverty, why is there poverty in the US, the UK, Germany......among the "native" population? If it were solely a matter of having access to opportunities, then it would seem that all those with access would be living the good life.

The article isn't talking about eliminating poverty in each country individually, but eliminating poverty globally.  So saying, "There's poor people in the US just like there are in Somalia" doesn't make any sense, because "poor" doesn't mean the same thing in the US as it does in Somalia.

I agree that the overall issue is complex, but "There's too many people" isn't an answer either.

I think it's an interesting idea that will certainly never happen in my lifetime, and probably not in my (imaginary) grandchildren's either. But hypothetically, I do wonder what would happen to the countries like Haiti.  I'm not just talking about 'brain drain' (though I think it's an issue, arguably, the ability of people to go back and forth at will might actually mitigate that).  I mean what happens to people who don't, or more likely can't leave? 

It's naive to say that 'open borders'='everyone who wants to can just get up and leave.'  It's just not that simple, even within a single nation, or region.  Unless part of the Open Border policy is free transportation to wherever you want and the guarantee of food and shelter (at least temporarily) once you get there, then there will still be masses of people, especially those in most need, who aren't going anywhere.  That's what keeps a lot of people stuck in areas of severe economic depression within their own countries.  (And that's without even considering the legitimate concerns about leaving behind family & culture.)   

While I'm sure that open borders would be of benefit for working/middle-class people, I think the only way to help those who are really in dire poverty is to fix the  root of the problem.  Fix their governments, fix their economies-- and by 'fix,' I don't mean 'make them easier for G20 nations & multi-national companies to exploit'-- and help make them places that people won't need to leave in order to live well.

What we have seen in the last few decades is an extreme reallocation of wealth from the lower strata of western societies to the top. Call it Thatcherism/Reaganism, or later the "third way", or whatever you like, but "trickle down" hasn't worked...."flood up" would be a better description.

http://bit.ly/Zz8oaM

To blame this on immigration is ridiculous. It has been caused by tax law changes, by allowing business to manipulate labour markets (off-shoring to countries with different concepts of human/worker rights) and by creating a situation where resources can flow freely around the globe but people can't. This last point is the very essence of the EU - that no market is open without freedom of movement.

This "conversation" we are having now in GB about immigration is a smokescreen - an age old ploy to keep those at the bottom blaming each other rather than those who have created this terrible mess.

This "conversation" we are having now in GB about immigration is a smokescreen - an age old ploy to keep those at the bottom blaming each other rather than those who have created this terrible mess.

I couldn't possibly agree more.