Analysis of Can We Still Afford to be a Nation of Immigrants Article by Kennedy David - Essay Example

Another set of immigrants was the involuntarily transferred slaves from Africa for labor supply to both the agrarian revolution and the industrial revolution developments. While agricultural revolution attracted immigrants to rural agricultural areas in America, the later industrial revolution concentrated the immigrants in urban centers. Immigration however had mixed impacts. While they facilitated economic developments through explored resources, they elicited significant, though controlled social animosity, especially across racial differences (Kennedy, 1996).

The current immigrants to the United States are however majorly from Asia and Latin America, though caused by the same factors as the earlier immigrations, high population growth in host countries, and economic opportunities in America. The current immigrants are however not as economically efficient as the earlier European immigrants. As a result, current immigrants, due to poor skills significantly pose more economic challenges though fewer social complications are registered (Kennedy, 1996).

Kennedy’s argument, therefore, identifies the same economic drivers of immigration in the two periods, exploration of economic opportunities in America. This is particularly because America promises more opportunities than the immigrants’ countries of origin. Immigration into America has also not been as high as those in other countries have, and continues to induce net economic benefits. Consequently, America ‘can therefore still afford’ to be a nation of immigrants because of the net derived economic benefits.