According to some scholars, immigration can have a very relevant role in the reduction of inequality. It has happened in the past and it may also happen in the future, as it is possible and desirable. However, migration in itself does not resolve the issue of the inequalities. At most, it would shift it forward, because redistribution through immigration does not exempt from previously creating a basic set of rules and institutions aimed at stimulating a major cooperation by countries to change the legal management systems of migration and correct their redistributive effects. In light of these studies, the need for additional in depth research on the impact of immigration on regional disparities and income inequalities has become evident, especially in the long run. The present paper moves, therefore, in this direction, focusing on the regional impact of internal migration and attempting to demonstrate, with reference to the Italian case, how out-migration can increase income inequalities, thus hindering economic growth and exacerbating economic imbalances between the richest and poorest areas of the country, while immigration can reduce income inequalities and mitigate economic imbalances, according to the hypothesis of skilled immigration equalising, formulated in 2008 by Kahanec and Zimmermann (cf. Kahanec, Zimmermann, 2008 and 2009).

The Equalising Power of Internal Immigration and Its Impact on Economic Growth of Southern Italy / Liotti, Giorgio; Villani, Salvatore. - (2015). (Intervento presentato al convegno 6th Meeting of the Society for the Study of Economic Inequality - ECINEQ tenutosi a Luxembourg nel July 13-15, 2015).

The Equalising Power of Internal Immigration and Its Impact on Economic Growth of Southern Italy

LIOTTI, GIORGIO;VILLANI, SALVATORE
2015

Abstract

According to some scholars, immigration can have a very relevant role in the reduction of inequality. It has happened in the past and it may also happen in the future, as it is possible and desirable. However, migration in itself does not resolve the issue of the inequalities. At most, it would shift it forward, because redistribution through immigration does not exempt from previously creating a basic set of rules and institutions aimed at stimulating a major cooperation by countries to change the legal management systems of migration and correct their redistributive effects. In light of these studies, the need for additional in depth research on the impact of immigration on regional disparities and income inequalities has become evident, especially in the long run. The present paper moves, therefore, in this direction, focusing on the regional impact of internal migration and attempting to demonstrate, with reference to the Italian case, how out-migration can increase income inequalities, thus hindering economic growth and exacerbating economic imbalances between the richest and poorest areas of the country, while immigration can reduce income inequalities and mitigate economic imbalances, according to the hypothesis of skilled immigration equalising, formulated in 2008 by Kahanec and Zimmermann (cf. Kahanec, Zimmermann, 2008 and 2009).
2015
The Equalising Power of Internal Immigration and Its Impact on Economic Growth of Southern Italy / Liotti, Giorgio; Villani, Salvatore. - (2015). (Intervento presentato al convegno 6th Meeting of the Society for the Study of Economic Inequality - ECINEQ tenutosi a Luxembourg nel July 13-15, 2015).
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11588/610731
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