As an immigrant: immigration is an area where the US is unique, or at least exceptional.
For a long time, the US has slurped up the top talent of the world, as well as cheap labor to support domestic industries like agriculture. Ironic that American “excellence” is about poaching excellence from elsewhere? Perhaps. Nobody wants to admit it, since it would mean “real Americans” don’t get special treatment for being born in the US and A. But all industries benefit, and politicians know this.
In Europe for instance, immigration has failed largely at talent acquisition. It has succeeded partially at the humanitarian goals, but at a large cost. In my experience, EU immigration policy has been more about safety than opportunity. It’s hard for low skilled immigrants to break into strongly regulated labor markets like in Western Europe, and at no fault of their own are instead supported by welfare systems. I don’t know if it’s a net-negative in absolute cost, but certainly in opportunity cost. It’s also raised a lot of anti-immigration sentiment.
That said, I think increasing inequality is transforming immigration also in America. The opportunity for poor (both immigrants and “native”) to move upwards with “hard work and dedication” is diminishing quickly. I think the current generation of immigrants won’t get such a big quality-of-life improvements as they used to.
Would your country allow an American to become a full citizen as easily as America does? Could their children (so long as they were born there) become whatever is your country’s equivalent to President is?
Our immigrants have no legal and very few practical limitations once they become legal citizens. The only exception I can think of is that you can only be President if you were born on US soil.
Our immigrants can, have, and continue to become highly successful. The cultural difference is that we acknowledge that nearly all of us are descended from immigrants.
> Our immigrants have no legal and very few practical limitations once they become legal citizens.
This is true in nearly every developed country. It would be puzzling if it weren’t. In the eyes of the law a citizen is a citizen, regardless of birth, in most of the developed world. The US is not unique in this way.
> Would your country allow an American to become a full citizen as easily as America does?
Yes, actually, although I will concede that the path to citizenship varies VERY substantially from place to place. I don’t think it’s true to say that the US is especially outstanding in how easy it is to gain citizenship.
It's much easier to become a UK citizen than an American. And yet that doesn't stop the ongoing socio-economical decline in the UK, from a world super power to the rejects of Europe.
If America has an edge, immigration isn't it. Probably it's geography and natural resources. A good comparison to make would be with Canada, a country with worse geography and less resources, but similar or even friendlier immigration policy.
For a long time, the US has slurped up the top talent of the world, as well as cheap labor to support domestic industries like agriculture. Ironic that American “excellence” is about poaching excellence from elsewhere? Perhaps. Nobody wants to admit it, since it would mean “real Americans” don’t get special treatment for being born in the US and A. But all industries benefit, and politicians know this.
In Europe for instance, immigration has failed largely at talent acquisition. It has succeeded partially at the humanitarian goals, but at a large cost. In my experience, EU immigration policy has been more about safety than opportunity. It’s hard for low skilled immigrants to break into strongly regulated labor markets like in Western Europe, and at no fault of their own are instead supported by welfare systems. I don’t know if it’s a net-negative in absolute cost, but certainly in opportunity cost. It’s also raised a lot of anti-immigration sentiment.
That said, I think increasing inequality is transforming immigration also in America. The opportunity for poor (both immigrants and “native”) to move upwards with “hard work and dedication” is diminishing quickly. I think the current generation of immigrants won’t get such a big quality-of-life improvements as they used to.