Happy Atheist Forum

General => Current Events => Topic started by: Dave on July 02, 2016, 06:33:45 PM

Title: Migration
Post by: Dave on July 02, 2016, 06:33:45 PM
This is, carefully, called ''Migration'' rather than ''Immigration''; this gives it a more ''International'' scope than just the movement into Europe, the UK (so-called at the moment) or America. The scale will be truly international if my predictions score.

This is not based on any great deal of research, merely day-to-day reading and listening combined with my inherently analytical nature. So it is onoly an opinion, of course.

We have been concerned with the migration from the Near and Middle East and from Asia. These migrations have mainly been due to violence in those countries but also, on the part of some, looking for greener grass. There has been a similar mix from Africa, economic and fleeing the effects of violent Islamisation.

For many years now We have also seen cycles of flood and drought that have ruined much of the crop and pasture lands of Sub-Saharan Africa. There has also been the reduction of the former ''Bread-basket of Africa'' Zimbabwe, to something like its pre-colonial tribal agricultural structure - perhaps more of a basket-case now - though still recoverable.

So, with violence, flood and famine, plus the odd flare of tribal disagreement, what else could go wrong?
Exploitation.

Some of the exploitation is low level,  market stuff (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/feb/06/chinas-economic-invasion-of-africa). Some though includes the exploitation of natural resources. It looks as though China is trading well, but they are also buying up africa's future reserves wholesalke. In return they built infrastructure that is not always gooid quality. They mostly employ imported Chinese labour (so no salary or training for the locals) and also import much of their food (so the local suppliers do not benefit either). The equipment they use goes back hoime or off to other projects. Repairing the roads and bridges may be a problem.

Several nations and companies (http://www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com/analysis/qatar-among-gcc-countries-investing-africa) are also exploiting Africa's agricultural land, leaving less for the locals in the future.

With slowly improving healthcare in Africa, mainly due to foreign aid - and a lot of that from the West - the population is increasing, perhapos beyond what the current resources can support, due in some degree to global warming.
The outcome will possibly be more deaths from famine plus migration at a rate that makes the current situation look like a trickle. It may see a problem of de-forestation similar to that in the Amazon basin. It may mean far more inter-country and tribal violence.

Whatever, it will have an effect on njust about every country within rafting reach of Africa. However, China do seems to have attempted some mitigation, after bad press with building collapses. We will have to wait to see if it is genuine and enough.
Title: Re: Migration
Post by: Tom62 on July 02, 2016, 07:55:02 PM
Some African counties are doing better than others. Seems to me that the worst "performing" countries are those that have the most corrupt regimes. That makes these countries more vulnerable for foreign exploitation. Others are continuous plagued by civil wars. It is easy to blame this all on western colonization history. I think that the local politicians are more to blame for the state that their countries are in. Take for example Mr Mugabe, who really fucked up everything in Zimbabwe. Sometimes I think that the African people need to grow up, get educated, use condoms and take responsibility for their own country.
Title: Re: Migration
Post by: Dave on July 02, 2016, 08:53:14 PM
Quote from: Tom62 on July 02, 2016, 07:55:02 PM
Some African counties are doing better than others. Seems to me that the worst "performing" countries are those that have the most corrupt regimes. That makes these countries more vulnerable for foreign exploitation. Others are continuous plagued by civil wars. It is easy to blame this all on western colonization history. I think that the local politicians are more to blame for the state that their countries are in. Take for example Mr Mugabe, who really fucked up everything in Zimbabwe. Sometimes I think that the African people need to grow up, get educated, use condoms and take responsibility for their own country.
Some of what you say reflects my thoughts, I did not mention corruption because that is a problem that afflicts some "1st world" countries as 2nd or 3rd.

Certainly not every African country suffers from foreign exploitation, it is often the poorest, trying to rush too quickly up the ladder.  "Tradition" is still a great barrier in some countries. Blaming the colonial era is often an excuse, epitomised by Mr Mugabe, used as a personal political weapon to garner support.

Yes, they have to recognise how to use what resourdes they have prudently but the disease of personal  power is almost epidemic, resources are there only as a weapon to gain more for done.

Education is the best chance, though that often takes generations. Support, rather than open handed aid, is the second most important string. Bith of these, employed correctly, can be far cheaper - because they encourage industry, personal or corporate, which helps to generate national wealth.
Title: Re: Migration
Post by: Ecurb Noselrub on July 03, 2016, 08:27:39 PM
Coconuts do not migrate.  But swallows do. Now, are we talking about African swallows or European swallows?  What is your favorite color?  What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?  It's all so silly.

By the way, I'm in Montana. I'm seriously thinking of migrating here each summer.
Title: Re: Migration
Post by: Dave on July 03, 2016, 10:16:23 PM
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 03, 2016, 08:27:39 PM
Coconuts do not migrate.  But swallows do. Now, are we talking about African swallows or European swallows?  What is your favorite color?  What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?  It's all so silly.

By the way, I'm in Montana. I'm seriously thinking of migrating here each summer.

OK, OK - I should have called it "Human migration due to natural and manmade causes"  But think thst's too long fir title box.

Effectively, like most of the globe historically but especially more recently, America is a land of immigrants, the "natives" for new living and hunting land, what, 40ky ago? Then, since the 16thC, religious immigrants, firced immigrants (slaves), political immigrants, economic immigrants . . .  Some of which are still fighting each other in violent and non-violent ways.

Does not Montana have a bit of a reputation for anti-government groups and survivalists?
Title: Re: Migration
Post by: Ecurb Noselrub on July 04, 2016, 05:11:36 AM
Montana is beautiful.  There are some crazies here, but those are everywhere.
Title: Re: Migration
Post by: Bad Penny II on July 05, 2016, 10:27:02 AM
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 03, 2016, 08:27:39 PM
Coconuts do not migrate.  But swallows do. Now, are we talking about African swallows or European swallows?  What is your favorite color?  What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?  It's all so silly.

By the way, I'm in Montana. I'm seriously thinking of migrating here each summer.

That's just preaching, coconuts do so do migrate, they even colonise if they are of a mind.
God made them floaty so they could could cross the seas and subjugate inferior vegetation.
Title: Re: Migration
Post by: Ecurb Noselrub on July 06, 2016, 05:24:30 AM
Quote from: Bad Penny II on July 05, 2016, 10:27:02 AM
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 03, 2016, 08:27:39 PM
Coconuts do not migrate.  But swallows do. Now, are we talking about African swallows or European swallows?  What is your favorite color?  What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?  It's all so silly.

By the way, I'm in Montana. I'm seriously thinking of migrating here each summer.

That's just preaching, coconuts do so do migrate, they even colonise if they are of a mind.
God made them floaty so they could could cross the seas and subjugate inferior vegetation.

I admit that I was preaching.  I have no evidence that coconuts do not migrate.  In fact, I met several of them tonight whilst playing 8-ball in a dive next door to my hotel in Calgary.  I won both games, however, so I doubt their evolutionary hardiness.  They seemed rather water-logged.