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Income Distribution, Migration and Economic Resilience John Connell (University of Sydney) Malta, April 2007. Introduction. Islands, Poverty and Smallness LDCs, Failed and Corrupt States Restructuring and remoteness Limited Economic Growth Aid, Remittances … and Tourism Transnational States.
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Income Distribution, Migration and Economic ResilienceJohn Connell(University of Sydney)Malta, April 2007
Introduction • Islands, Poverty and Smallness • LDCs, Failed and Corrupt States • Restructuring and remoteness • Limited Economic Growth • Aid, Remittances … and Tourism • Transnational States
Dodgy Data and Distribution • Uneven data eg Fiji • Poverty or Hardship? • Absolute Poverty? • Poverty ..of Opportunity, Dignity/Esteem • Youth bulge, Unemployment, Informal Sector • If Fiji …. ?? • Urban and Rural Safety Nets?
Demography • Urbanisation, Settlements • Poverty transfers • Anti-Urbanism … no Pro-ruralism • Population growth • Pressure on resources
Migration • Uneven development & expectations • Economics, environment, society, politics • The emptying periphery • Selectivity • Remittances
International Migration • The 1960s ‘long boom’ • Colonial and post-colonial ties • Skill selectivity ….. brain drain? • Globalisation (eg Fiji nurses) • Outward urge
A Culture of Migration • The ‘destiny’ of smaller states eg Niue • Social and economic safety valve • Survival of ‘government islands’
Skilled Migration • Inherent selectivity ‘get up and go’ • Health workers – global health care chain • Footballers • Security guards • Active recruitment
Skills in Drains? • Skill training eg Kiribati, Tuvalu • Skill choice and migration (eg health) • Skill shortages (eg health, aviation, IT) • Unsatisfied needs • Brain drain and brain waste • Limited return migration
Remittances • Family structure: TNC of kin • Household economic destinations • High % disposable income – MIRAB • Increased significance eg Fiji • Peripheral survival
Use of Remittances • Debt repayment • Consumption – food, housing, education • Investment transition/opportunities – land, education, business (eg markets taxis..) • Community eg church11 • Towards inequality?
Remittance Sustainability • Remittances sustained over decades • Second generations, marrying out .. • Continued migration • Guestworkers … selectivity • ‘broken dreams’
Remittances vs. the Skill Drain • What choice?
Globalisation and Island Micro States • Trade, poverty and migration • Employment transferability eg St.Kitts, Fiji • Safety nets and redistribution? • Social costs
Migration and Self-Reliance • An age of migration • The culture of the ‘outward urge’ • A diasporic future • Cosmopolitan islanders and cyber-Polys • Emigration as resilience