On walls and the left – The Economist:

‘Migrant-bashing has had a good run of late in Europe, largely as a result of the xenophobic hard right gaining ground across the continent. But these days it is not just the ideological allies of Marine Le Pen in France or Geert Wilders in the Netherlands banging on about new arrivals, or the integration of old ones. Parties on the other end of the political spectrum sometimes join in. On September 1st Sahra Wagenknecht, a German stalwart of the radical left, is expected to do well in two state elections, with a third to come later in the month. Polls show that in some contests her one-woman band, launched in January, will beat all three parties of the ruling coalition. Beyond wanting to soak the rich, it is Ms Wagenknecht’s overt animosity to migrants that stands out. Her claim there is “no more room” to take in refugees is the kind of rhetoric that has helped propel the nationalist Alternative for Germany (afd) to the top of the polls. A stabbing spree by a Syrian asylum-seeker that left three dead on August 24th would once have delivered a windfall to the hard right. This time it is likely to help Ms Wagenknecht’s lot just as much.’

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‘Part of the left, especially its revolutionary fringe, has long been uncomfortable about migration. Karl Marx saw the importation of foreign labourers as a ploy by capitalist bosses to keep the proletariat down. His French disciples among communists and trade unionists were among the most ardently opposed to open borders. A softening of that policy in the 1980s left the door open to Ms Le Pen’s father to build a truly xenophobic political movement, often pitched to the same working-class electorate. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, France’s latest firebrand of the left, has advocated against the right of European Union citizens to settle in France. For him, migration is at its root an exploitation of the migrant.’

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‘America never fully developed a welfare state in part because those in need (often blacks or Hispanics) did not look like those with plenty.’

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‘At the eu level, socialists in May voted for a new “migration pact” that will make life tougher for illegal migrants—including building the metaphorical walls Mr Lofven once objected to. The debate around immigration requires nuance: welcoming people is a boon to society if handled well (not to mention a moral obligation when dealing with refugees) but can be a burden if not. It is one the left should not be left out of.’

Read the article here.

Well, the left is already in, just read this article.

Building walls might change the stream, migrants will look for a better border to cross, but that’s about it.

Above all, as so many people pointed out already, the true reason for most migration is the need of (cheap) labor. It’s our needs, stupid.

But the scapegoat is immensely needed as well, as we all know.