Was migrating way easier back then (e.g., people can just board a ship with their bags to the US and settle there)? What makes migrating to most countries so difficult now?

Question

Was migrating way easier back then (e.g., people can just board a ship with their bags to the US and settle there)? What makes migrating to most countries so difficult now?

In: 491

Answer 1

In the past there were fewer or no legal barriers to immigration however there were often higher social/cultural barriers.

When you look at things like Irish or southern European immigration to the US east coast. Due to the existing Irish/Italian/Jewish communities in places like NYC, the cultural/social barriers were also low. Meaning you could easily find people who shared your language and religion and overall culture. And the legal barriers hadn’t yet been implemented