The business investment problem

[dealtn]

So what politician in his or her right mind would want to limit immigration? "Lets have more people to boss around and collect tax from" makes perfect sense to pretty much any politician of any colour, I reckon.

Not if it peeves enough of the electorate that you don't remain in power. Also, depending on the economic output of the average immigrant, you may end up with a decrease in per capita GDP, which makes life harder for the chancellor, and if is too obvious to the electorate may also reduce your chances of staying in power.

And if the average person immigrating is, by definition, the kind of person willing to get off their backside and better themselves, and proves to be more productive and economic than not just those residents unwilling to apply themselves in the same way, but also the average person in the UK, the opposite is likely to be the case from the Chancellor's perspective.

[xeny]

And if the average person immigrating is, by definition, the kind of person willing to get off their backside and better themselves, and proves to be more productive and economic than not just those residents unwilling to apply themselves in the same way, but also the average person in the UK, the opposite is likely to be the case from the Chancellor's perspective.

Indeed, re-reading what I posted I regret not making that point. For completeness there is then the risk they may outcompete the residents for roles, which is another possible cause of resentment. Modelling the impact of immigration on standard of living must be an interesting challenge.

[gryffron]

Also, depending on the economic output of the average immigrant, you may end up with a decrease in per capita GDP, which makes life harder for the chancellor, and if is too obvious to the electorate may also reduce your chances of staying in power.

Sure. But when was the last time you saw a news headline which mentioned per capita GDP? Even a doley scrounger who does nothing contributes something to GDP. Because they have to consume something. No matter whether immigrant or native.

Gryff

[vand]

Also, depending on the economic output of the average immigrant, you may end up with a decrease in per capita GDP, which makes life harder for the chancellor, and if is too obvious to the electorate may also reduce your chances of staying in power.

Sure. But when was the last time you saw a news headline which mentioned per capita GDP? Even a doley scrounger who does nothing contributes something to GDP. Because they have to consume something. No matter whether immigrant or native.

Gryff

Not really, because it's a fallacy to think that the money that was given to the scrounger would not have been used more productively had it not been redistributed as such.