2.4 - Russia/Oligarchs Flashcards
What is Accession 8?
A group of 8 countries that joined the EU in 2004
Why were the A8 countries grouped?
So that they would be the origin of a new wave of migration to wealthier countries in the EU
Why are Poles moving to Slough?
- For jobs - earn 5x the pay you do in Poland
- English is Poles’ second language
What is the unemployment rate in Poland?
18.2%, highest in all OECD
What are some examples of low-cost carriers Poles travel on?
WizzAir and RyanAir
What happened as a result of out-migration in Slough?
funding was short based on 2001 census - £15 million, which led to council tax increases
What was there pressure on as a result of 10,000 migrants in Slough?
pressure on health, education, housing - 15 people living in a house
What were Slough schools adapted with to cater for Polish children?
adapted with EAL provision - £70m required for funding for 13,000 new children in Slough
What is a social benefit of Poles moving to Slough?
- Promotes tolerance of different groups and connects them together
- increased cultural diversity
What are economic benefits of Poles moving to Slough?
- Economic boost - Poles have contributed 3x the cost
- skilled and qualified workforce
- children help with ageing population
What is the main UK immigration route for migrants?
the 5 tier system to get points to apply to apply for a visa
What is tier one?
Highly skilled people
- entrepreneurs, top scientists, business people
- they can stay permanently - potential to earn the most
What is tier two?
Skilled with job offer
- qualified
- employers have to sponsor them
What is tier three?
Low skilled
- jobs in hospitality, food processing and agriculture
- you can’t do this if you’re outside the EU
What is tier four?
Students
- fee paying only, issued visas from place of study
What is tier five?
Temporary
- professional sports people / musicians
- can stay and work for a limited period of time
What are some benefits for the source country (Poland) after migrants move
- remittances received and these are invested in local businesses, house repairs and medical care
- less unemployment in Poland
- wages rise as fewer workers available
- new job opportunities, particularly for women as large numbers of men migrate
- housing / hospitals / schools less overcrowded so house prices may fall
What are some costs for the source country (Poland) after migrants move
- loss of skilled workers - brain drain
- loss of tax revenue so reduced government spending
- loss of population to sustain local services
- loss of culture and community
- families divided so impacts mental health and child care
- young migrants move leaving a falling / ageing population, increasing dependency ratio
What is an Oligarch?
- Business owners who acquired commodity-firms in post Soviet Russia
- A Greek term for political and economic power
What is Londongrad?
A name for wealthy parts of London where Russian business owners have brought property for their families to get a British education and secure pension base
What are Russian (Transnational) elites?
Rich migrants to benefit from UK institutions
e.g total of bonds and loans raised by Russian businesses in London between 2004 and 2013 was over £250 billion, UK banks charge fees of up to 3% of the amount borrowed
Does the UK Government want Russian Oligarchs?
- Russian international investments in London is sizeable - £27bn
- It one accounts for 0.5% of total international assets in London
- Russia only accounts for 1% of UK financial services
- fears of Russian mafia
What is One Hyde Park?
A major residential and retail complex located in Knightsbridge for top elite workers
What are generic reason to stay in London?
- political, cultural and employment attractions of London
- Stock exchanges and HQs of TNCs - which will then tend to attract wealthy stock-brokers and executives
- migrant enclaves
- wide range of employment opportunities
- concentration of many languages spoken - creates a market for further investment and opportunities
- proximity to major universities
- NHS/benefits/education
- free movement guaranteed to EU nationals
- A8
What are some characteristics of low-wage EU migrants
- willing to work in dangerous conditions for long hours and earn low wages
- moved after EU enlargement in 2004
- live in cheaper outskirts of London
- recruited and transported over
- send remittances back home
- live in Polish enclaves
What are some characteristics of Russian Oligarchs?
- brought Russian commodities industries to generate huge wealth
- living in London means a London lifestyle (restaurants, theatres etc)
- buy significant assets in UK
- buying expensive property in London
- moved after collapse of USSR
- permanent residents in London
What are some previous open doors acts?
- Act of Parliament 1948 - mainly from UK colonies - Caribbean, Indian Empire
- 1970s, attitudes changed - control was introduced, Brixton riots, discrimination with Stephen Lawrence
Unskilled labourers to rebuild post-War Britain
What are some benefits of migration to the host country (UK)?
- more taxpaying workers
- low skilled workers to do jobs people don’t want to do
- migrants contribute to economy
What are some costs of migration to the host country (UK)?
- pressure on NHS, housing, schools etc
- more costs on community policing
- tension between communities
