Immigration entails the act of moving to a foreign and unknown country to live and work there. Over the years, many people have moved from their places and countries of origin to other foreign countries to seek better lives and better environments that can sustain their livelihoods. Most of the immigration took place beginning the early 1800s up to the 1930s during the great depression that affected most economies around the world, especially the United States. During that period, many immigrants moved to new countries, with most emigrating from Europe and settling in new countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, South Africa, Argentina, and New Zealand. Some of these immigrants move to countries where they find new opportunities and are able to live nice and decent lives as compared to their home country. Others live in harsh conditions after they move to new countries, especially refugees who go to foreign countries due to the civil wars and political unrest in their home countries. There are several reasons that made and continue to make people to migrate to new countries. Fleeing economic, political, and individual hardships, many people have left their homelands in Europe and Asia in search of a better life.
The first reason is economic hardships in their own countries. Most of the immigrants go to live in a new country with the main aim of searching for better economic conditions to enable them live better lives and support their families (Borjas, 2014). For instance, this is the major reason the United States has been the major destination for many immigrants since the 17th century. The availability of arable land was a major factor that made many European immigrants to come to the United States in the 17th and 18th centuries (Borjas, 2014). After the great depression, economic growth and the resultant high wages made numerous immigrants to move to the country to seek for better jobs. Immigration to the United States can be divided into four major periods. The first is the colonial period, mainly in the 17th and 18th centuries when English immigrants came to the country as indentured servants. The second is the mid 19th century period when immigrants mainly from northern Europe came to the country. The third is the early 20th century period when immigrants from eastern and southern Europe move to the country and the last is the post 1965 period that mainly saw an influx of immigrants from Asia and Latin America.
The second reason is political hardships that result into civil wars and massive deaths and loss of property. Many countries in Europe, Latin America, and Asia suffered numerous political hardships during the 18th and early 19th centuries due to bad leaders and dictators who used force and discriminative as well as oppressive methods to rule and acquire wealth from people (Meilander, 2001). This resulted in many people dying and losing their property and therefore creating the need and desire to immigrate to foreign countries with peace and other civil rights and freedoms (Dummet, Hughes, & Stephenson, 2012). As such, these people opted to move to foreign countries to seek safety, peace, and better lives. These immigrants are attracted to these foreign countries due to the various policies and laws enacted that protect life, property, economic and political freedom, and the provisions of various rights and freedoms. In addition, several countries across the world have made great steps in ensuring immigrants who enter their borders are able to achieve their potential and success in life through various programs that enables immigrants from other countries to obtain citizenship and other rights and freedoms that are enjoyed by their own citizens (Philippe, 2007).
The third reason has been individual hardships and the need to rejoin families living abroad. Various immigrants go to a new foreign country due to their own individual needs, as they pursue their own personal desires and wishes. This is especially the case for some of the current immigrants who are immigrating to new countries as they wish to achieve various individual and personal goals and objectives that they have established for themselves. For instance, some wealthy Chinese immigrants go to live in the United States and buy property there as they escape the industrial and environmental pollution in their home countries (Harrop, 2013). Other immigrants move to a foreign country in order to be rejoined with their family members already living in other countries (Fell & Hayes, 2007).
Immigration has been a very important aspect of the world’s history. It defines every aspect of every country’s cultural, economic, political, and social activities. The various immigrants who go to live in a new country originate from different countries with different cultures, practices, beliefs, norms, political and economic thinking and assumptions, and way of living. All these different national aspects are joined to make new national identities cultures that these immigrants and the registered citizens of the country can identify with and have a sense of belonging.
References
Borjas, J. (2014). Immigration Economics. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Dummet, P., Hughes, J., & Stephenson, H. (2012). Life: Upper intermediate. UK: National Geographic Learning.
Fell, P., & Hayes, D. (2007). What are they Doing Here? A Critical Guide to Asylum and Immigration, Birmimgham: Venture Press.
Harrop, F. (2013). "China's Rich, Yearning to Breathe Free," The Progressive Populist. p.6
Meilander, C. (2001). Towards a Theory of Immigration. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Philippe, L. (2007). Immigrants: Your Country Needs Them. New York: Little Brown.
