Abstract

A cogent approach to public policy based on economic principles could go a long way toward resolving a welter of social problems ranging from mass migration and persistent alienation to rampant crime and wanton terrorism. To this end, the first step is to separate the nubs of fact from the sea of dross that confounds the public debate on social policy amongst elected officials as well as private citizens. After clearing away the muddle, the problems may be tackled through a coherent strategy based largely on a battery of economic mechanisms. As a backdrop, the haphazard schemes of the policymakers to date have often exacerbated the problems in Western countries rather than mitigated the torments. An example lies in a shower of grants awarded to radical immigrants in the vain hope that the donations might prompt the recipients into scaling down their subversive activities. In actuality, though, the standard response of the dissidents is to accept the money as well as the imprimatur of official recognition by the government in order to bolster their own agenda in moulding impressionable minds and prodding the audience into opposing Western values. The disruptive actions of the dissidents might be virtual, as in insisting that women must submit to men in every aspect of their lives. Or the noxious schemes may be tangible, as in coaxing the acolytes into committing flagrant acts of terrorism. On the upside, though, the government could and should take a coherent approach to migration and integration that pays heed to the profound differences in culture between the newcomers and the incumbents. In this way, the policymakers can field a suite of constructive programs to help the outlanders in a trenchant way in adjusting to their host countries and turning into productive members of the society at large. The ultimate aim is to formulate a win-win strategy for the migrants as well as the natives.

Keywords: Alienation, Economics, Migration, Poverty, Society, Terrorism

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