The Economic Consequences of Immigration

Immigration 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