Solutions With David Ansara

What are the benefits of immigration from an economic and social perspective? How do we distinguish between various types of immigrants, and how should societies balance the benefits of immigration with other considerations, such as security and cultural integration?  

In this episode of the Solutions With David Ansara podcast, I speak with Alex Nowrasteh, a policy scholar and director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute in Washington DC, about the arguments for open borders.   

Alex believes that countries which are more open to foreigners enjoy an economic dividend due to increases in skills and productivity. A liberalised immigration policy produces positive-sum gains for immigrants, as well as their host countries, he argues.   

I raise the most common objection to open borders: the problem of security and terrorism. Only those who pose a risk to "life, liberty and property" should be prevented from entering, Alex says. He notes that terrorism, while a significant problem, is not at the scale large enough to justify denying entry to those who do not pose such a risk.  

I also bring up the topic of cultural integration. Alex believes that smaller, more homogenous societies may be more justified in their concerns over the erosion of their language and culture, but the United States, with its long tradition of multiculturalism, does not experience this problem to the same extent. Culture is also fluid and ever-changing, he says.  

We also reflect on the presidency of Donald Trump and explore why his anti-immigration message resonated so strongly with the American electorate, and why Joe Biden has been reluctant to re-open America's borders.

TIMESTAMPS 

(00:00) Intro 

(00:23) Alex Nowrasteh on the economic benefits of immigration 

(02:33) Alex Nowrasteh on political opposition to immigration 

(04:23) Alex Nowrasteh on the different categories of immigrants 

(08:48) Alex Nowrasteh on cultural integration 

(15:16) Alex Nowrasteh on the problems with government immigration policy 

(22:57) Alex Nowrasteh on the cultural effects of globalisation 

(25:57) Alex Nowrasteh on security risks arising from immigration 

(32:25) Alex Nowrasteh on Donald Trump's immigration policy 

(35:36) Alex Nowrasteh on Joe Biden's immigration policy 

(38:02) Alex Nowrasteh on safely liberalising immigration policy 

(45:00) Alex Nowrasteh on whether poor countries should open their borders 

(49:59) Alex Nowrasteh on how policymakers should approach immigration  

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RESOURCES  

Alex Nowrasteh bio

In this episode of the 'Solutions With David Ansara' podcast, I speak with former world champion boxer turned lawyer, Lovemore Ndou, about his new memoir, Tough Love.   

We discuss Lovemore's rough childhood in 1980s Messina (now known as Musina), his escape to Australia, and his long journey to the top of the boxing world.  We also reflect on the transformational power of education, and his "second career" as an attorney in Sydney.    

Lovemore and I dissect the current state of South Africa, and try to understand where the country has gone wrong since he left in the mid-1990s. Lovemore pulls no punches in his assessment of the ruling party's performance: BEE, corruption and a culture of impunity are just a few of the problems the ANC has inflicted on South Africa, he says.   

Lovemore has his own ideas for how to fix the country of his birth. He details his plans to return to South Africa, as well as his long-term political ambitions in this wide-ranging conversation.

TIMESTAMPS 

(0:00) Intro

RESOURCES  

READ 'Tough Love: How A Limpopo Homeboy Became A World Champ Turned Lawyer' by Lovemore Ndou (Jonathan Ball, 2021): 

VIDEO

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What are the drivers of human progress? Why are some countries prosperous, while others remain mired in poverty?   

In this episode of the Solutions With David Ansara podcast, I speak with former UK Conservative Party MP, Douglas Carswell, about the origins of human progress.   

Douglas and I discuss his book, 'Progress vs Parasites' (2019), which chronicles the history of human development as an ongoing struggle between the productive and the parasitic.   

Douglas notes that the division of labour, specialisation and exchange are key determinants of economic development. He argues that progress is emergent and spontaneous, but not inevitable. If left unchecked, powerful vested interests can easily frustrate progress as they seek to extract advantages from the system under their control.   

We also look back on Douglas' role in the campaign for Britain to leave the European Union (EU).   

Douglas explains why he believed Britain was better off outside the EU, and how he persuaded Britons to vote 'Leave' in the 2016 referendum. 

Douglas argues that the 'European project' was fundamentally flawed, as it sought to concentrate political power in the hands of unaccountable bureaucrats in Brussels, and undermined the sovereignty of the United Kingdom.   

We conclude the conversation by discussing the importance of political decentralisation and the devolution of power for democratic accountability.

TIMESTAMPS  

(0:00) Intro

RESOURCES 

READ: Progress Vs Parasites: A Brief History of the Conflict that's Shaped our World by Douglas Carswell (2019)

Mississippi Center for Public Policy

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As South Africa becomes more politically unstable, the idea of Cape Independence is growing in popularity. But what would an independent Cape look like and what would Cape secession mean for the future of the country as a whole?  In this episode of the 'Solutions With David Ansara' podcast I speak to Phil Craig of the Cape Independence Advocacy Group (CIAG) about why he believes complete independence is the only way to save the Cape.   

We discuss recent polling conducted by the CIAG which reveals growing enthusiasm for the idea of Cape secession. Phil believes that the Western Cape's consistent rejection of African Nationalism puts the province at odds with the politics of the rest of the country, and that it would be better off governing its own affairs and not being held hostage to hostile policies emanating out of Pretoria.   

I put it to Phil that secession may risk destabilising South Africa and could lead to a disorderly breakup of the country along racial or ethnic grounds. I state my preference for greater levels of federalism and decentralisation rather than full-blown independence. Phil notes that he is not ideologically opposed to federalism, but is opposed to it on pragmatic grounds.  

We also spend some time towards the end of the conversation reflecting on the lessons from independence movements in other parts of the world, such as Scotland and Catalonia.   

TIMESTAMPS  

(0:00) Intro

RESOURCES  

Cape Independence Advocacy Group website

Helen Zille on surviving wokeness

Richard Wilkinson on federalism in South Africa

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How serious is the problem of fake news? How do we, as media consumers find credible and reliable sources of news in an information-abundant age?  

In this episode of the Solutions With David Ansara podcast, I speak to Nicholas Lorimer of the South African Institute of Race Relations – and host of the Daily Friend Show – about a recent paper he co-authored with Terence Corrigan on how to combat fake news.   

Although fake news may seem like a contemporary problem, Nicholas points out that misinformation is as old as the written word itself. "A lie can travel half-way around the world before the truth can put on its shoes," as Mark Twain (allegedly) said. This aphorism has never been more accurate than it is today, where modern digital technology acts as an accelerant for the dissemination of information, both real and fake.  

Nicholas and I discuss:  

TIMESTAMPS

(0:00) Intro

RESOURCES  

READ 'Fake News: A new challenge to human rights?' by Nicholas Lorimer and Terence Corrigan: https://irr.org.za/reports/occasional-reports/files/01-2014-page-1-32-2014-fake-news-report-21-04-2021.pdf

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South Africa has endured a "lost decade" of stagnant economic growth, resulting in poor returns on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. In this environment, how can South Africans protect their wealth and secure the financial wellbeing of their families?   

In this episode of Solutions With David Ansara, I speak to Magnus Heystek, Director of Brenthurst Wealth Management, about why you should diversify your investments and move your money offshore.  

Magnus and I discuss:  

- Why the JSE has underperformed relative to other markets.

DISCLAIMER  

I do not offer financial advice on this podcast. Please speak to your financial advisor before making investment decisions.   

TIMESTAMPS  

(0:00) Intro

RESOURCES  

'The trillion rand property collapse' by Magnus Heystek (BizNews, 28 June 2021): https://www.biznews.com/news/2021/06/28/magnus-property 

Brenthurst Wealth Management: https://www.bwm.co.za/

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South Africa is in the midst of a profound crisis. How will the country fare over the next decade? What should individuals, families and communities do to prepare themselves for an increasingly uncertain future?  

In this episode of 'Solutions With David Ansara', I speak to my colleague at the Centre For Risk Analysis, Dr Frans Cronje, about the future trajectory of South Africa, and how to develop a strategy to mitigate the downside risks of living in SA.  

Frans and I discuss:  

- What last month's riots reveal about the current state of the country.  

TIMESTAMPS  

(00:00) Intro  

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A good education can provide a pathway out of poverty, but how do we improve the quality of schooling in poor countries? One solution is to enable low-fee private schools to flourish. 

In this episode of the 'Solutions With David Ansara' podcast, I speak with Prof. James Tooley, Vice Chancellor at the University of Buckingham in the United Kingdom, and author of several books on education in the developing world.  

Prof. Tooley and I discuss:  

- Why parents in poor countries tend to prefer low-cost private schools to free public schools. 

- Why international aid agencies are reluctant to acknowledge the role of private schooling in development. 

- How teacher's unions undermine accountability and quality in public schools. - Whether low-fee private schools provide a sufficiently high standard of education. 

- The effectiveness of voucher-based systems. 

- How private schools help young girls to be better educated. 

- The potential for disruption in higher education.   

TIMESTAMPS:  

RESOURCES  

'Really Good Schools' by James Tooley (2021)

'A Beautiful Tree' by James Tooley (2013)

VIDEO  

WATCH this episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/c9mU1vOU4RM

The mass public violence that swept through KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng last week has resulted in widespread damage to property and the destruction of livelihoods. In light of these events, how do we as ordinary citizens take the necessary steps to protect ourselves, our families and our communities?  

In this episode of the 'Solutions With David Ansara' podcast, I speak to safety and security expert, Gideon Joubert about the importance of locally-organised community safety initiatives in the absence of a capable state.  

Gideon and I also discuss the origins and causes of last week's riots, the inability of the state to maintain basic law and order, and the necessity for responsible private citizens to own a firearm.  

Apologies for the poor sound quality from 29:45 – 30:48. 

TIMESTAMPS:  

(0:00) Intro

RESOURCES:  

Web: http://www.paratus.info/

VIDEO:

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/j_ESQXv4sGk

What is the relationship between Islam and liberal democracy? How can Muslim countries achieve greater degrees of political competition, adherence to the rule of law and a separation of power between religion and state?  

In this episode of the 'Solutions With David Ansara' podcast, I speak to Professor Hussein Solomon, Head of the Department of Political Science at the University of the Free State, about the problem of radical Islam today and the countervailing forces of moderation and secularisation in the Muslim world.  

Prof. Solomon and I also discuss whether democracy is an exclusively Western idea, the role of political institutions and economic growth in creating fertile conditions for democracy to flourish, and the security threat posed by extremist Islamic insurgencies in Sub-Saharan Africa.   

TIMESTAMPS  

WATCH this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/yb9id72Ivy8