EH.Net Abstracts in Economic History

                ABSTRACTS IN ECONOMIC HISTORY
                     (c) 2003 EH.Net
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Name: Susan B. Carter
Email: susan.carter at ucr.edu
Institution: University of California, Riverside 

Co-author: Richard Sutch
Department of Economics
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521
USA
E-mail: richard.sutch at ucr.edu

Title: Immigration Policy and Economic Growth in Two Settler Economies 

Internet Address of abstracted work: not available 

By mail:
Department of Economics
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521
USA

Language: English

Abstract:
This paper explores differences in the immigration policies of Australia
and the United States and their impact on the pace and pattern of economic
growth. The period is the era of mass migration (1815-1930) when an
estimated 3.5 and 37.3 million Europeans migrated to Australia and the
United States, respectively. Of the two, United States immigration policy
at the time was more open to immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe
while Australian policy provided considerable assistance to potential
immigrants from the British Isles. Both countries imposed severe
restrictions on immigration from Asia. Our approach is to develop
quantitative estimates of the impacts of immigration on the rate of growth
of GDP per capita under a variety of immigration scenarios. Transmission
mechanisms include: capital dilution; increased demand for capital;
increased labor-force participation; increased saving and investment;
increased rates of inventive and innovative activities; economies of scale;
and the importation of free "human capital" that had been paid for in the
immigrant's country of origin.

Bibliography: Carter, Susan B. and Richard Sutch. "Immigration Policy and Economic Growth in Two Settler Economies." University of California, Riverside, working paper, 2003. 

Subject: D
Geographical Area: 0
Country/Region: Australia, US
Time Period: 7, 8

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