Conclusion

This chapter concludes the book by summarizing key arguments and findings and discussing the implications of remittances for democracy. The chapter argues that remittances are a benefit to democracy when they prevent the rise of authoritarian-minded populists in times of economic crises. Remittances are harmful to democracy, however, when they reduce accountability and allow governments to neglect the poor. This chapter argues that it is in governments’ interest to augment the global flow of remittances in an effort to create the stable social and political conditions needed for economic development. The chapter also proposes a number of steps governments can take to reduce the costs of emigrating and sending remittances.