Seventy thousand years of migration in under 800 words

The history of humanity is one of migration.

Using mitochondrial DNA analysis, anthropologists have identified several waves of Homo Sapiens migration out of Africa. The most significant occurred 70,000 years ago, a mere blink of geologic time.

Commonly accepted theories describe a migration into Asia and Australia, and later Europe, driven by African megadroughts which “drove the humans from the land and towards the sea shores, and forced them to cross over to other continents.” (Wikipedia)

Humans first populated Europe about 40,000 and North America 20,000 years ago, both largely from Asia.

North America was settled thanks to global climate change. The very same massive glaciers which sculpted our coastline, creating Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Long Island, and shaping Cape Cod, were also responsible for lowering the average sea level over 400 feet. This exposed a land bridge between Asia and Alaska at the Bering Strait. The resultant human expansion into North and South America was rapid. One may hypothesize that, without the glaciers, the first European explorers might have found an untouched continent, devoid of natives.

While humanity had spread over most of the world by 10,000 years ago, it was in the northern climes of Europe that human technological development accelerated. Surviving and thriving during winter was tough for early humans. It required foresight and planning. It demanded agricultural storage techniques. It resulted in the invention of tools and machines. Humans were mastering the management and exploitation of energy and information. In the end, it resulted in a highly developed, wealthy Europe. These former Africans, via Asia, became the kings of the world thanks to Old Man Winter.

As these Europeans settled North America, it became a powerhouse as well, even exceeding their parental roots.

And hence the north/south divide we are faced with today.

A divide in wealth. A divide in stability. A driving force in continuing northward migration pressures. Central Americans migrating to North America. Africans migrating to Europe. Escaping poverty. Desiring safety. Seeking opportunity. Who can blame them?

But the political upheaval is immense. Britain is struggling to disassociate itself from the European Union. Angela Merkel’s German coalition government is on the verge of collapse. Italy has elected a populist party. The very foundation of the European Union is in doubt.

Meanwhile, on this side of the Atlantic, the Trump administration is under enormous pressure. A recalcitrant Congress is refusing to address the mess it has made of immigration laws and the executive branch is trying to deal with it.

Both sides of the Atlantic share a common problem of disadvantaged peoples wanting to share in their wealth while the native-born, middle-class populations push back. It’s a problem which must be solved lest governments crumble.

In a recent, thoughtful column titled “The Elites Feed Anti-Immigration Bias” in the Wall Street Journal, Distinguished Professor of Law Joan Williams of the University of California offers a way forward.

First she identifies a disaffected blue-collar class who have experienced abysmal real wage growth and are the first American generation to earn less than their parents. They are proud patriots, but they are very unhappy campers.

Now this is important: Whether true or not, their perception is that their malaise is due to two factors: global trade and immigration.

Next, Ms. Williams recognizes a class of global elitists who share two attributes: a “feeling rule” which mandates empathy for immigrants, and deep scorn for “dim-witted and fat” blue-collar Americans. As she observes, “All this has created a toxic environment in both the U.S. and Europe.”

Finally, her prescription in three steps.

The first is to “recognize that the nation-state is important to non-elites.” They are proud to be American (or German or Italian), but that does not make them racist. The elites must not belittle them for being proud of their country.

Next is to identify and “highlight the ways that President Trump’s immigration and trade policies are hurting red-state constituencies.” Farmers and small businesses unable to find adequate laborers. Construction firms hurt by steel tariffs. These seemingly pro-populist policies have a serious downside.

Finally, to “avoid the scapegoating of immigrants by assuring that hardworking Americans without a college degree can find good jobs.” Social support for job training and apprenticeships would be helpful. Changing the snobbery directed at non-college graduates is vital.

Ms. Williams closes with this thought. “There’s no inherent reason that native-born blue-collar workers should be anti-immigrant. They often hold similar attitudes toward hard work and family values.” Rather than scorn them, the elites should address their concerns.

Indeed. What we're doing is not working. Might as well try something new.