23 Factors leading to Migration

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Students will get an overview of the theories of Migration which contribute the factors that lead to migration of people.
• A detailed analysis will help students to know the factors that lead to migration.

INTRODUCTION

From the previous chapter you will be able to get an overview different form of migrations that take place within and outside the country. Each form gives in-depth reasons as to why migration takes place. Migration occurs due to several factors which influence people to migrate that can be explained under three broad headings: Economic, Socio-Cultural and other factors.

The primary motivating factors both in urban and rural, within and outside the country is the economic reasons. In developing countries like India issues like unemployment, underemployment, low agricultural income etc. are some of the basic factors pushing the migrants towards developed areas for better opportunities. Poverty plays an important role in pressurizing people to move out from the traditional place of work to progressive areas mostly ending up getting into unskilled work which are unsuited.

With Globalization taking the center stage, opportunities have also increased but exploitation is also higher. Migrant people are misguided with false hopes and expectations before they are pulled in for work, in which case poor marginalised migrant groups are the victims who face challenges ahead. The Second National Commission of labour which submitted its report to the Government of India pointed out the challenges faced by the workers working in the plantation industry that “The workforce engaged in the industry is also deeply concerned about the impact of globalisation and mechanisation on the industry. They are concerned about the possibility of loss of employment and the means available for migration to other avenues of employment; repeated droughts and famines had ravaged the villages in many areas, and reduced people to poverty and dearth of avenues of gainful employment… resulted in the migration of population from their traditional homes”.

Do you Know

In both rural and urban areas, majority of the households migrated for employment related reasons. Nearly 55 per cent of the households in rural areas and 67 per cent of the households in the urban areas had migrated for employment related reasons. A higher percentage of the persons were found to be engaged in economic activities after migration: for males the percentage of workers increased from 51 per cent before migration to 63 per cent after migration in rural areas and from 46 per cent to 70 per cent in urban areas, while for females it increased from 20 percent to 33 per cent in rural areas and from 8 per cent to 14 per cent in urban areas.

(NSSO -2007-2008 64th Round) NSS Report No. 533 (64/10.2/2)

3. MIGRATION THEORIES

There are a number of reasons why people migrate from one place to another. Generally there are many factors that give opportunity for people to opt out from the home State to another due to reasons like unemployment, search for new job, better opportunities, urbanizations and its outcomes, globalisation that attracts workers from other countries to come over etc.

It is good to begin to understand the factors through theoretical framework which is been accepted by many. There are a number of theories to explain the reasons for migration. We will look at some important theories in order to get an overview.

4. CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE FACTORS THAT LEAD TO MIGRATION

From the above theoretical framework, we came across different modules which pointed out number of reasons that leads to migration. However, it is important to discuss specific factors that lead to migration in detail. The following points give an overview of each of the factors that contribute to migration at various levels.

In 2013, the four most populous countries worldwide were China (1.41 billion), India (1.25 billion), the United States (320 million), and Indonesia (250 million) and the total number of international migrants worldwide is 231.5 million which itself can make a country on their own ranking the fifth in the world. More than 3.2% of the world’s 7.2 billion people were international migrants in the year 2013 as compared to 2.9% or 154.2 million of the then world population of 5.3 billion in 1990. . In India, as per census 2001, about 307 million people have been reported as migration by place of birth. Out of them about 259 million (84.2%), migrated from one part of the state to another, i.e., from one village or town to another village or town. 42 million (2%) from outside the country. Out of these migrants by last residence 268 million (85%) has been intra-state migrants, those who migrated from one are state to another 41 million (13%) were interstate migrants and 5.1 million (1.6%) migrated from outside of the country.

Below table gives a glimpse of the reasons for migration in India from the 2001 Census data which has listed a number of indicators. From this table we can understand that marriage being a common factor, reason of work and employment is comparatively higher.

The above information reflects the constant increase in migration year after year and new issues and challenges have erupted leading to an increase in migration around the world. Many factors that influence migration are difficult to predict. While social, political and economic developments are exceptionally major reasons for people to move out.

Socio-political Factors

Social factors can include ethnic, religious, racial, and cultural persecution on a particular group or community which forces them to move out for safety. Warfare and internal disturbances are also a major push factor. There are number of examples wherein citizens moved as asylum outside of its borders for e.g. Sri Lankan Tamils moved to India during the Sri Lankan Civil war and most of them settled in camps in Tamil Nadu for number of years now.

The politicisation of religious and ethnic identities which also includes racism and racial discrimination has caused significant levels of conflict within states and victims of such violence have been moved out for e.g. in India two instances can be the best example the 2008 Kandhamal violence and 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots in Uttar Pradesh considered as worst violence in recent history wherein 1,00,000 members in the riot effect region were moved out in both cases as Internally Displaced Persons.

Racial discrimination means “any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on a equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.” (The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, Article 1)

Often governments lack the ability to respond to social instability. The future level of migration on these may be more depending upon the longevity and severity of such conflict that could arise. Individuals migrating due to social or political conditions are humanitarian migrants and will have an impact upon the living conditions and protecting the rights of the migrants.

Economic Factors

One of the most important economic factor relate to the migration is concerning labour issues which is often links with unemployment situation. If economic conditions are not favourable and appear to be at risk probably leaves individuals to migrate to a better place for economic development and survival. Often we can see people moving from rural to urban areas while remaining within the confines of their state borders. We can also see emigrants from developing and underdeveloped countries have moved abroad for merger wages in order to take care of their families. Government of India in its report in 2013 stated 40 percent of migration takes place between developing countries. Below table gives an overview of the emigrants from India moving out for labour wherein people are moving into the Arab countries over the years.

Economic migrants are drawn towards international migration because of the prospect of higher wages, better employment opportunities and, often, a desire to escape the domestic social and political situation of their home country. These migrants are most likely to come from middle-income countries where the population is becoming increasingly well educated. There is also increase in highly-skilled individuals from developing countries migrating to developed countries.

Generally, economic forces motivate individuals to move to other states and countries where employment prospects are better before returning to their country of origin. Furthermore, issues relating to brain drain and problems of exploitation still remain a concern.

Ecological Factors: Climate Disruption Exacerbates Other Forces

The issue of climate change is, arguably, the most serious. Since the recent past people face enormous problems due to failure in agriculture are forced to find alternative forms of employment as their land is no longer capable of producing or sustaining goods. The impact of climate change is most likely to become more apparent in the coming years. Climate change has an impact upon water resources, agriculture, food security etc. which the States need to adequately address them. People who are severely affected by the changing ecological conditions choose to migrate from their home state in search of more favourable environmental conditions within and outside the country.

Globalization and Regional Disparities

Due to uneven development with the country through regional disparities and challenges faced by the developing and the under developed countries has given significant pressure for people to move out. Most of them have already been discussed in point b. The issue of “brain-drain” with relatively skilled workers migrating to developed economies in order to get better opportunities and higher wages which they cannot get at the home state. On the other hand low-skilled or even unskilled workers are also moving to other States due to economic compulsions and they are attracted to job opportunities from the developed countries even though there has been number of human rights violations. Both developed and developing Countries have started multinational projects, infrastructure developments etc. push people to move out of their home towns for the sake of development and these people are moved to places where they need to find new jobs for survival, and they are commonly known as internally displaced person.

The following table summaries the push and pull factors leading to migration:

SUMMARY

We learn from this chapter that there is paramount increase in the level of intolerance, economic disparities within and outside the country, as well as associated impacts such as discrimination, regional disparity etc. have become key factors that drive people to move from one place to another. The module has looked at the major factors that influence migrant movements which are similar in most parts of the world. It must be noted that migration can never be eliminated or even fully controlled. In fact, with rising globalisation, migratory pressures are increasing day by day.

Reference 

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