Immigration, slavery and eugenics

I have just finished reading Godfrey Wettinger's Slavery in the Islands of Malta and Gozo ca. 1000-1812 (PEG, Malta, 2002). It is a social history of slavery in Malta, based mostly on sources dating from the period of the Knights, that describes among other things the living conditions of slaves.

Most slaves were what today we would call people "of colour" - Moors from North Africa, Turks from the Ottoman domains, blacks from sub-Saharan Africa. They formed part of the spoils of the Order's corsairing ventures in the Mediterranean. They were made to work on galleys or in various other economic undertakings and were locked up for the night in specially-built prisons in Senglea, Vittoriosa and Valletta.

These overcrowded prisons housed hundreds of people in dire conditions. During the day slaves were not permitted to go near the coast or to the countryside unless accompanied by a free Christian; this was done to prevent escape and mingling with the population.

There were many escape attempts that for the main part ended in tragedy at sea or on the gallows. Sometimes they lost all hope and took their own lives, although this was uncommon. Slavery was abolished formally by Napoleon in 1798 and petered out during the first decades of the 19th century.

History repeats itself. Slavery is gone but not so the practice of confining people of colour in prisons for weeks on end. Today we call them "detention centres". These people still dream of escape to a better life, today located in the North rather than the South. Just like the slave traders, there are people who make pots of money transporting them.

We might think the detainees are pampered but, in fact, by the standards of their time, slaves were probably better off. They were permitted to work part-time, to have a few belongings and to spend time socialising.

Not all of these privileges are available to illegal immigrants today; for the most part they spend their days and nights locked up in centres in conditions that have drawn concern from international organisations. At least one detainee has committed suicide out of desperation. Three hundred years ago most Maltese had no problem reconciling humane thoughts with the domestic reality of hordes of non-criminals festering in overcrowded prisons. Very little has changed.

A second thought on migration and racism. I read in The Times a few days ago that Italy has a big problem because of a falling birth rate and lack of youth. The vision of a nation of pensioners is not a cheerful one, not least economically, and solutions are being sought.

Apparently some enterprising mayors and local politicians are offering cash windfalls to couples who decide to have children. In general, Italy and other countries with similar demographics are encouraging people to procreate. Yet, how are we to reconcile this with the fact that these same countries spend so much time and money trying to stop immigrants from reaching their shores?

These immigrants are just the species these countries are pining and paying money for: young, enterprising, adventurous and eager to work and make money. (The idea that immigrants depend on state welfare is a myth, as evidenced by the thousands of small businesses in places like Amsterdam and London, the vu cumpraíí vendors in Italy, the many people employed in construction in Malta, etc.) Then why not make room for them to right Europe's unbalanced populations?

The only reason I can think of is, frankly, eugenics. The idea, that is, of improving or at least preserving a nation's stock or race through social and/or biological engineering.

Italy wants its young blood - but not any blood will do. It must be the blood of "Italians", whatever that means. Moreover, there are a thousand and one cultural suspicions to complicate matters; the conflict between the North and the South that occupied the Mediterranean for centuries is healing only very, very slowly.

This explains why Italy is keen to encourage "Italians" to reproduce but at the same time goes to great lengths to keep people of colour out. Demographically as well as economically, it would make sense to let them in. But beliefs about race and incommensurable cultural difference die hard. In this case, hopefully unwittingly, they are the root cause of highly contradictory demographic policies.