Why is immigration so critical to Europe's demographic future and what problems does immigration pose?

Answer 1

Europe has negative population growth, that is to say the average European has less than 1 descendant. In the absence of Immigration, the result of this lack of fecundity is a slowly declining population. The median age of the population is greater than the median life expectancy. Compared to a society that has neutral population growth negative population growth needs fewer teachers, schools and pediatricians more nurses, nursing homes, and geriatric specialists. If there more goods and services are required by the part of the population defined as "retired" than produced by the part of the population in its productive years, then there is a net outflow of capital to pay for the goods and services, resulting in a permanent decline in the standard of living.

Immigration can sustain the working age population, but at a cost. Immigrants bring with them the education and culture of their native land. The immigrant has an immediate need for cultural and language instruction which will impose both direct and indirect costs to the host society. The rest of the world is on average comparatively less educated, less lawful and less democratic than Europe. The parts of the world with the best educated and most democratic populations supply the fewest immigrants to Europe.

Cultural differences resulting in different acceptable behaviors, social aspirations, and expectations between immigrant populations and native populations result in social tensions or open rifts, rioting, hate crimes, etc. Ameliorating or suppressing these tensions also comes at a cost to the society. These tensions go far beyond religion dress and food preferences. While human nature is much the the same across cultures there are significant differences in expectations for the form and substance of many if not most social transactions. Neither education nor tolerance nor laws significantly alter the underlying frictions. The friction tends to reduces as the population is replaced with one with more compatible expectations, a slow process at best.

There is also a tendency for immigration to become an issue that divides the working classes from the aristocratic classes. Workers tend to immigrants as a pool of cheap labor causing a slow deterioration in wages and benefits. Aristocrats tend to see immigrants as a necessary addition to the labor pool to prevent a loss of competitiveness and entire industries. Both viewpoints have merits, but immigration doesn't necessarily have to result in lower wage scales, and a smaller labor pool can be more productive and more competitive.