Читать книгу To Be An American - Bill Ong Hing - Страница 21

Assuming little substitution of native workers and the stimulation of job growth by the presence of immigrants as consumers, President Reagan’s Council explained that immigrants have little negative impact on native wages. The Council acknowledged that wages can drop when the supply of labor increases (either because of immigration or the increased participation of native workers). But the Council urged us to look beyond short-term wage depression or job loss for the following reason: in the sectors where native workers are complementary with immigrant labor, both labor demand and wages will increase. The demand for labor increases because the availability of immigrant workers encourages investment in industries that have become more competitive. This increased demand in labor provides opportunities for new jobs and better wages for many native workers who were displaced in the noncomplementary sector. Therefore, short-term negative effects are outweighed by new opportunities, and the total combined income of the native population is actually increased.¹⁰

In a sense this position urges us to think of short-term wage depression as an investment of sorts, made for the purpose of attaining a long-term increase in prosperity. But we must recognize that short-term wage depression is a serious problem that should not be casually disregarded or even easily sacrificed for the benefit of long-term gains. However, better methods can be implemented to ameliorate this problem than by restricting immigration, for example, raising the minimum wage and/or expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit. Better job training and investment in our educational institutions are also relevant.

Immigration causes income benefits which are spread throughout the economy in other ways. Beyond the increased job opportunities and higher wages for some native workers, lower product prices and higher business profits also result. The concentration of unskilled immigrants in industries such as agriculture keeps prices down, thereby increasing the real income (or purchasing power) of native consumers.¹¹

Higher business profits benefit those with personal investments, savings, and pension holdings. Even if some immigrants have the short-term effect of depressing wages in particular sectors, natives experiencing wage loss may be able to make up for those losses on account of the higher business profits which result. For example, if a native worker sees that her wage is being depressed by immigrant competition, she can contribute a little less to the pension fund to compensate for that lower wage, but still take solace in the fact that her pension fund is paying her a return. Increased business profits also make possible greater amounts of capital investment and innovation to the benefit of all.

The concern is that although the aggregate benefits may outweigh the costs, this scenario raises serious equity problems. The aggregate-benefit-to-all argument may actually be hard to swallow for native workers whose wages are being depressed if they do not have pension plans or personal holdings. Higher-skilled native workers who have such assets are relatively immune from competition. Few lower-skilled workers have pensions or holdings, and are therefore unable to make adjustments or reap benefits from increased profits; the higher-skilled workers (and management) benefit from the higher returns to capital without losing anything at all.