Stop Blaming Immigrants, Start Taxing the Wealthy

In Britain we’ve been scapegoating migrants for the failures of our unequal economic system for a very long time. It’s a tried and tested method deployed by the ruling elites to manage capitalist crises — like the crisis we’re experiencing now.

It’s not a coincidence that we’re currently seeing a surge in nationalism, racist violence, and anti-immigration sentiment, as well as moral panics against other marginalised groups — disabled and transgender people to name but two. Economic inequality has been getting worse for decades, the cost of living is skyrocketing, and public services are falling apart, and the state needs someone to blame.

The working class are struggling, and the legitimacy of the capitalist system is seriously in question. Or it least it should be — immigrants are taking the blame instead.

But projecting our well-founded economic anxieties onto immigrants isn’t going to help. Despite the fact that, according to YouGov, 70% of Britons think immigration is too high and 45% think immigration should be stopped, and large numbers of immigrants should be deported…