Ethnically homogeneous countries (like traditional Scandinavia) tend to have larger, more generous welfare states because citizens see recipients as 'their own kind' and trust them not to abuse it; therefore increasing ethnic heterogeneity through immigration actually undermines native support for the welfare state, meaning immigration's net political effect on welfare-state size may be negative.

causalpending

Speaker

Bryan Caplan

Evidence Quote

even if the immigrants personally are more in favor of the welfare state immigration reduces native support for the welfare state... empirically it seems to be the net effect is negative

Source

Bryan Caplan on Immigration 10/04/2010EconTalk
Created: 6/13/2026, 7:01:44 PM

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