CHAPTER 11 - A Migrant's-Eye View of the Costs and Benefits of Migration to a Metropolis

Abstract

This chapter discusses migrants' view of the costs and benefits of migration to a metropolis. It has been hypothesized that some migrants are primarily “pushed” out of a place of residence by a combination of unfavorable forces, which made continued residence there undesirable, while others are induced to leave by attractive situations in other locations. Using a rational behavioral approach the decision to migrate would be viewed as the outcome of a balancing of the benefits of migration against the costs of migration. By estimating the benefits and comparing them with the calculated costs, the potential migrant hypothetically arrives at an estimate of the net gain or loss that might come from migration. A similar calculation with respect to costs and the benefits that might result from remaining in the place of residence would be anticipated. The potential migrant would then be expected to compare the net profit or loss from migrating with the net profit or loss that might result from staying at the place of residence. The decision to migrate or to remain would be based on an estimation of which course of action would yield the largest net gain or the smallest net loss.