title: Remittances from labor migration: evaluations, performance and implications.
abstract: 2 evaluative views of worker remittances draw opposite conclusions.  The negative one posits that remittances increase dependency, contribute to economic and political stability and development distortion, and lead to economic decline that overshadows a temporary advantage for a fortunate few.  The positive view sees remittances as an effective response to market forces, providing a transition to an otherwise unsustainable development.  They improve income distribution and quality of life beyond what other available development resources could deliver.  The implications are tested for labor supply countries to Europe and the Middle East.  The implications of the negative are not supported.  Although the dire predictions of the pessimistic view have not materialized, the converse - contributions of remittances to economic performance - should not be overstated due to a lack of data.
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Keely
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Tran
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D000569:Americas; D017691:Caribbean Region; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003710:Demography; D019049:Developed Countries; D003906:Developing Countries; D004467:Economics; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005060:Europe; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D007182:Income; D007843:Latin America; D009656:North America; D011153:Population; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011788:Quality of Life; D012946:Social Welfare; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014171:Transients and Migrants; D014481:United States
keywords: Africa; Americas; Caribbean; Cost Benefit Analysis; Demographic Factors; Developed Countries; Developing Countries; Economic Conditions; Economic Factors; Europe; Evaluation; Income; Income Distribution; Labor Migration; Latin America; Macroeconomic Factors; Microeconomic Factors; Migration; North America; Northern America; Population; Population Dynamics; Quality Of Life; Quantitative Evaluation; Remittances; Social Welfare; Socioeconomic Factors; United States