Friday, August 10, 2007

Scotland Population and Migration

Scotland is one of the most special countries in Europe. Even though Scotland is a part of the UK, people who are from this country never say that they are English. They have their own name, Scottish. From William Wallace we have learned the Scottish men are brave but wear short skirts normally. They have been performing bagpipes and fighting with England for their independence. However, the descendants of William Wallace and his warriors are facing a huge problem; Scotland’s population is decreasing gradually. The Scottish government has made several solutions to solve population’s problem, but all of them are not efficacious. In my opinion, the reason is only one, economy. The Scottish government should improve their own economy to keep population and attract immigration. There are four solutions; I think which will solve Scotland’s population problem. First, Scotland’s government should know that economy is the key of population. Second, Scotland should know the immigration is not a solution for Scotland’s population negative growth. Third, Scotland should make markets actively and increase domestic demand. Finally, Scotland should imitate other countries to take family-friendly actions to raise the birth rate.

According to a research report, “Migration into Scotland” (MigrationWatch UK, 15 January 2004), the population of Scotland has been about 5 million for 50 years. That is an interesting fact, because zero population growth is good news for a country usually. However, the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is just 1.48 children per woman in Scotland (Migration into Scotland, para.4). Furthermore, the birth rate is 10.4 per 1,000 people (Migration into Scotland, para.8). Also, emigration is the other reason that causes population declines. According to BBC News, the Scottish government wants to make an immigration policy to prevent population decrease and stimulate economy. But it was criticized as a passive way by some opposes. The Scottish economy is not actively. And in the research report (Migration into Scotland, para.10), Scotland has a high unemployed rate, 6.8% in 2002. It is the main cause that emigration happens in Scotland. Therefore, it is expectable the young people, who are in reproductive age, are more likely to move to England or other countries for better jobs and life. They are more able to produce babies in foreign countries. So as to the TFR and the birth rate both are very low and finally induce the negative population growth.

First, the economy absolutely is the key of population. The Scottish economy has risen since the Industry Evolution in the UK, then became one of the most developed countries in the world. But recent decades, the economy of Scotland has become more and more inactive. Comparing with England or other the rest of the UK, the Scottish economy is the lowest. However, Scotland and the UK are together anyway. People who have Scottish visa can live and work in England or the other rests of the UK legally. So if the Scotland makes their own immigration policy, the visa is easies to get than England, who will want to stay in there and won’t move to other places that have more and better jobs? They will go to England or elsewhere for better lives as soon as they arrived in Scotland. Also, Scottish people bear a lot of economic pressure. And they consider if they feed more children, they will have bigger financial problems. They consider about their pensions when they retired. The best way for Scottish people escaping the abyss may be moving to other countries to find better lives. Consequently, the problem that Scotland faces is not there are not enough workers, but are not enough jobs.

Second, according to the research report (Migration into Scotland, 2004), international migrants did not help Scotland’s population, because the main destination for immigrants is more likely to be London or the South West. It means Scotland sometimes is a so-called “back-door” for those immigrants. Also, migration is a not active solution, as an article “The Outlook for Scotland’s population: Does Scotland need its own immigration policy?” said, “that [immigration] does not help as much as one might expect, partly because of skills gaps partly because the scale immigration needed would create social problems”. Many immigrants are less able to enter local main society because of their different cultures, especially different religions. The conflict and mistake are ineluctable. We usually hear some unhappy events happening between immigrants’ community and local people from news. And following the immigration, the criminal rate may increase, the racialism may appear. Some people would argue the immigration will bring the new economic elements and create more chances for working. It is true as the government thought. The immigration also brings more people and more competition, even though the jobs become more and more. As we know, the immigrants usually come to one country for better jobs and lives, too. So they have to work harder and hander. They can obtain some dirty work that local men won’t do. Gradually, the local men will be behind immigrants in working competition. When immigrants occupy the jobs, Scottish people may choose emigration again.

Third, Scotland should make markets actively and increase domestic demand. This is the hardest work. The traditional manufacturing in Scotland and the UK is declining because of the big pressure of labor costs, taxation and processed materials. The factories are more likely to move to Eastern Europe and Asia where the most immigrants come from. However, the government should be responsible for economic resuscitation. First, Scotland should attract new economies into country. Tourism is a rising industry, less investment and very efficient. Scotland is the best place to develop tourism. Scotland has so many tourist resources, such as cragged mountains, steeper canyons and old-line castles. I think the charm of Scottish nation will attract thousand and hundred people to visit Scotland. At that time, Scotland must be a good resort in Europe. Also, Scotland should attract high-qualities people who have immigrated out to other countries to come back and help homeland grow the economy. It is better than attracting foreigner to come into Scotland. People who have immigrated out to other countries won’t have any obstruction in communication and social life when they come back to Scotland. And they are still responsible for their mother country. The high-qualities emigrants may be a exhilarant for Scottish sleeping economy. On the other hand, the UK is also responsible for Scottish economy. The government of the UK should make a series of solutions to stimulate the economy in Scotland. Even though many Scottish do not like the UK government, they do need the help from the UK.

Finally, the family-friendly actions probably are the most direct and efficient way to improve population. The family-friendly actions are a project that is making a good and harmonious environment for family life (Wikipedia, 7 March 2007). For example, if the entertainment or information is called "family-friendly", it will be considered suitable for the whole family. It is normally that if a family lives very happily, they will be more able to produce more babies, because it may mean more happiness. According to research paper “Migration into Scotland”, the family-friendly actions have been successful in Scandinavia, which has had the most negative population growth of the world, but now the birth rate of which is at or near natural replacement levels. Therefore, Scotland should imitate other countries to take family-friendly actions to raise the birth rate.

In conclusion, Scotland’s economy is the key of population. A poor country neither attracts the immigration nor prevents the emigration. Also, Scotland should know the immigration is not a solution for Scotland’s population negative growth. Only if the economy has increase, the people will stay and work in Scotland. Then, Scotland should make markets actively and increase domestic demand. The new economies will bring surprises and chances. Finally, Scotland should imitate other countries to take family-friendly actions to raise the birth rate. However, the controlling population is a long-term project for every country. It is impossible to see the efficiency in five years or ten years. The solution is only one, the Scottish government should improve their own economy to keep population and attract immigration.













References

Population pyramids, Gov of the UK, 2002
From http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/pyramids/pages/179.asp

Population of Scotland Facts, Gov of the UK, 2002
From www.scotland.org/about/fact-file/population/index.htm

The outlook for Scotland's population: Does Scotland need its own immigration policy? MigrationWatch UK, 21 June 2005
From http://www.migrationwatchuk.org/Briefingpapers/other/outlook_for_scotland.asp

Migration into Scotland, MigrationWatch UK, 15 January 2004
From http://www.migrationwatchuk.org/archive/other/migration_into_scotland.asp

Visa move to beat population drop, BBC News, 25 February, 2004
From http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/3486650.stm

Family-friendliness, Wikipedia, 7 March 2007
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family-friendliness

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