Do not overrate zero-sum status-seeking
If people really preferred relatively higher income in a poorer society, then those born in Western Europe and the US would be saving up their money so they could live like kings in Africa. Very few people of middle- or upper-class status in poor countries would try to get to the West. Obviously, what we […] The post Do not overrate zero-sum status-seeking appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION .
People often mistakenly believe that a society with higher income levels is inherently zero-sum, meaning that gains for some inevitably result in losses for others. However, empirical evidence suggests otherwise. Those born in wealthy nations like Western Europe and the United States do not save money to live like kings in poorer countries; quite the opposite.
Doctors from African nations often move to America, accepting low-paying jobs like driving cabs if their medical licenses are not recognized. Middle Eastern and African migrants to Europe are generally not the poorest and are relatively well off by their standards. Despite stories of mistreatment of South Asian workers in the Gulf, there is still a steady flow of laborers seeking higher incomes.
Researcher Richard Hanania emphasizes that the notion of status-seeking being zero-sum is overstated.
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