Immigration & Emigration - Government Policy, Immigration & Emigration - Europe - General & Miscellaneous
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Overview
European governments are inflicting ever-greater suffering on refugees and migrants, in a calculated but largely ineffective attempt to deter people seeking refuge and work.In "Open Borders", Teresa Hayter assesses the impact of the increasing severity of border controls since they were first introduced at the beginning of the twentieth century and makes the controversial case for their abolition. Hayter focuses on postwar immigration controls, especially the use of such controls against the peoples of former European colonies and East Europeans, and their effects on asylum seekers. She examines the recent history of European coordination of border controls and the notion of 'Fortress Europe'.
Hayter argues that the existence of controls leads to great suffering and abuse of human rights, and that immigration controls are racist and help legitimate racism. She also demonstrates that immigration controls have actually had a limited impact on controlling numbers. To illustrate her arguments, she draws on empirical material, especially from Britain in the 1980s and 1990s, relating in particular to the use of detention, arbitrary decision-making and the denial of benefits. She compares British government policies with policies elsewhere in Europe and calls for a wider campaign for the free movement of people and the abolition of border controls.
Synopsis
A critical assessment of border controls in twentieth-century Europe that puts forward the case for their abolition.Editorials
Economist
The strongest part of this book is the account of the hypocrisy, faithlessness, demagogy, moral indifference and, at times, outright cruelty shown by different British Governments on this issue since the 1960's. Ms Hayter provides a terrible indictment of modern British immigration policy. Government seem keener to appeal to the ineradicable British vice, xenophobia, than to the ineradicable British virtue, a sense of fair play. The sad story of hostility to immigrants points to the conclusion: democracy is no guarantee of humanity - or good sense.Book Details
Published
October 1, 2000
Publisher
Pluto Press
Pages
224
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780745315423