Open Borders by Bryan Caplan and Zack Wienersmith

 

The debate over immigration is often presented as being between people who want to let in 'some' immigrants, and people who want to let in as few as possible.

This is an artificial framing that includes only a small spectrum of possible arguments. The book "Open Borders" by Zack Wienersmith and Bryan Caplan makes a 'radical' case in a comic book format. An introduction to the book is here.

I found it an interesting angle and I think people who want to restrict immigration need to consider how they'd respond to the arguments in the book. Bryan Caplan is a libertarian, which adds an interesting twist.

At present, in the UK, the conservatives are trying to partially offshore their asylum processing to Rwanda, a move condemned by the UN, many former conservative ministers, Archbishop Justin of the Church of England, Doctors Without Borders, and many more. Given that they've united such a disparate group, quite an accomplishment, I'd take it as a good sign, were one needed, that they're barking up the wrong tree.

From an 'open borders' policy that is nowadays seen as radical, to on the other hand a more medieval approach, where people from the other village smell different and aren't to be trusted - if you're an outsider, you're a citizen of nowhere and probably fleeing the law - it's clear what direction the UK is heading in, and this is lamentable.

Brute racism and unthinking jingoism are sadly easy to understand if not condone. The opposite takes a bit more effort, but is well worth considering.