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How the Refugee Crisis Is Changing the World Economy

The media often reports about the refugee crisis, which affects the new world order.

In this book summary, we outline the main triggers and explain the whole confusion.

Who Should Read “The 21st Century Gold Rush”? And Why?

If you can’t make heads and tails of this issue, stay with us to learn more about the crisis. It’s impossible to chew everything down to the bone, but we can at least provide some basic coverings.

The 21st Century Gold Rush is an excellent book for all those people whose countries are inhabited by immigrants. Knowing their story will help you understand them better.

About Malia Politzer and Emily Kassie

Malia Politzer is an award-winning journalist and author who is an expert in European affairs, especially in refugee crisis triggered by immigration.

Emily Kassie is also a renowned journalist who is an expert in social injustice and matters that affect the entire society.

“The 21st Century Gold Rush PDF Summary”

Every single day, a river of immigrants appears on the news, which evidently illustrates the biggest resettlement in modern history. Driven by an unfortunate turn of events, these refugees populate the regions of Western Europe, trying to find jobs, and integrate into the society.

Nonetheless, not every soul feels pretty much the same way, because deceitful people have identified a way to bypass the law and turn immigrants into profits.

Let’s start in Agadez, the largest city of Niger. For years, this town with an estimated population of over 115, 000 people has been labeled as the main transit point for smuggling drugs, people, and weapons.

Generally speaking, smugglers and real lawlessness have prompted the people of Sub-Saharan Africa to look for a way out and find an alternative route to escape the scarcity of food and jobs.

On the way over to Europe, they settle in Libya temporary. On the Niger-Libyan border, there have been serious allegations of bribable activities by the officials, but nothing has changed.

Especially in Nigeria, but also in other African countries, female refugees are turned into prostitutes, a business that is as profitable as smuggling weapons.

These women try to get out of the way of Boko Haram, and instead of landing on European Soil, they fall into the hands of other criminals. They are promised jobs in Europe, but after they arrive at Agadez, they are threatened and forced into “slavery.”  

Over the years, transporters and traffickers found many alternative routes that lead to the desired destinations, with an intention to avoid bribing and police searches as much as possible.

Although these drivers make a lot of money by transporting people, their primary business is smuggling drugs across the borders.

After the collapse of Muammar Gaddafi regime, many groups that had strong ties with European Mafia started to gain momentum and expand at the cost of many emigrants.

The Libya-Italy route has never been more active, and some of the refugees that managed to land on the shores of Italy got asylum and settled across the country.  

One of these large networks is the Sicilian Mafia – Cosa Nostra. This organization successfully managed to establish a fruitful partnership with many trafficking groups, and therefore expand its influence over the continent.

Once these refugees arrive in Italy, Mafia members extort massive amounts of money, by intimidating and threatening the emigrants that if they don’t pay they will get killed, tortured, or deported back.

Indeed, Cosa Nostra has to evaluate the strength of newly formed Nigerian gangs, which may in the future outnumber the Italian Mobsters. The methods involving revenge, or reprisal are not that effective with immigrants who don’t have anything worthy or nothing to protect.

When it comes to the country torn out by war – Syria, a real wave of immigrants has decided to “colonize” some parts of Turkey, making it very difficult for native Turks to prosper. According to them, the Syrians are responsible for the bad economy, and the hostility is growing with each passing day.

Although these low-skilled Syrian workers have a hard time integrating into the Turkish labor market, many business people have identified loopholes.

As we mentioned, the Syrian businessmen have created a network that is able to export tons of food and other resources to the people of war-demolished Syria. According to foreign statistical analysts, the value of these goods has surpassed $1.4 billion in 2014 alone.  

Many wonder – why does Germany accept so many refugees? Experts argue that the German people, don’t want to be labeled as nationalists once more, after Hitler, so they are prepared to give up their space for the sake of the refugees.

Angela Merkel acknowledged that the German Society wasn’t well-prepared for accommodating the basic needs of so many immigrants.

The government plans to spend approximately $100 billion in the next five years to assist the refugees and help them to fit into the German society.

Not all private business owners were “in high spirits” about this decision because the economy is experiencing a massive shock due to the changes which are triggered by the resettlement.  

For the time being, the German officials had opted to place a large portion of the immigrants in abandoned buildings before the “hotel offer” was set in motion. Immigrants received €50 vouchers to stay in some of the hotels, which the hotel owners perceived as an opportunity to make money.

Ordinary citizens also offered rooms, garages, everything possible to those newcomers who could pay. The Government didn’t realize that the refugee program is not effective, and without a permanent solution to this problem, the economy would stagnate.

If the German Society and the European Union fail to provide the immigrants with jobs, and settlement, the whole system could collapse.

The truth is, this massive undertaking has triggered many right-wing political parties to express their anger towards this integration process. The reports of violence and abuse caused by immigrants, inflame the situation even further.

Finding a peaceful solution is easier said than done, we’ll see what happens next.

Key Lessons from “The 21st Century Gold Rush”

1.      Measure twice cut once
2.      Integration is not a straightforward process
3.      Violence solves nothing

Measure twice cut once

It seems as high circles of power direct this whole crisis.

These sources are often operating in the shadows, and it’s evident that we didn’t lay the groundwork to handle the massive wave of refugees.

Integration is not a straightforward process

People with divergent backgrounds who decide to settle in Europe, cannot merely absorb the European way of life – in a flash.

It takes time and well-devised strategy to make them blend into the group.

Violence solves nothing

Anger and hatred lead to more destruction, and we have to be wise regarding this sensitive issue.

Hopefully, we must locate some of the missing links to deal with the escalating tensions.

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Our Critical Review

Excellent, well-researched book that answers the biggest problem in modern history. Political leaders have a duty to impart moral principles to the ordinary citizens.

To untangle the clues of this dilemma, one needs to be open-minded, we consider ourselves as such.

Emir Zecovic

Emir is the Head of Marketing at 12min. In his spare time, he loves to meditate and play soccer.