Democracy Paradox

Joseph Wright and Abel Escribà-Folch on Migration's Potential to Topple Dictatorships

Jan 11, 2022

46:41

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Migrant Remittances and Foreign Aid

00:25

I Don't Need The Government To Pay Me To Protest Anymore

00:21

Do Local Public Goods Increase Political Mobilization?

03:02

The Importance of Remittances in the Local Economy

02:19

Introduction

6min

The Moral Economy of Elections in Africa

2min

Political Mobilization for Political Opponents

2min

The Importance of Remittances in the Development World

2min

International Remittances - The Largest Source of International Financial Flows

5min

Remittances

2min

The Importance of Remittances in the Local Economy

2min

Do Local Public Goods Increase Political Mobilization?

3min

The Importance of Where Income Comes From

4min

10.

The Chinese Government Wants to Control Information That's Given to Citizens

2min

11.

Remittances Are Difficult to Control for Governments

2min

12.

Remittances and Democracy Around the World

4min

13.

The Importance of Remittances in the Global North

5min

14.

The Power of Markets to Facilitate Democracy

3min

This is money that flows between individuals and families and largely circumvents governments and that's a hugely important point, because the real take home of the book is that when these financial flows are controlled by citizens, it tips the balance of power in favor of citizens. When the international financial flow goes to governments, it tips the balance of power in terms of governments.

Joseph Wright

A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com or a short review of Migration and Democracy: How Remittances Undermine Dictatorships here.

Joe Wright is a professor of political science at Pennsylvania State University. Abel Escribà-Folch is an associate professor of political science at Universitat Pompeu Fabra. They cowrote the book Migration and Democracy: How Remittances Undermine Dictatorships along with Covadonga Meseguer.

Key Highlights