The Case for Ending Migration Controls

摘要

With a general election looming in Britain, early 2005 witnessed the ugly—if far from unprecedented—re-appearance of immigration as a crucial battleground in domestic political contest (see, for example, Travis and White 2005). The opposition Conservative Party (quite wrongly) accused the Labour government of allowing "unlimited" immigration into Britain. Panicked, Labour responded by moving to assure the public that they are "tough" on the issue, hastily enshrining this in their election manifesto. Throughout these exchanges, the assumption that the regulation of migration is essential remained unquestioned. However, the case for ending migration controls (both in Britain and in similar advanced capitalist states) is compelling on a number of grounds, and the objections to it dubious (Bauder 2003). It is important that geographers restate the arguments at this time.