Bottom Quote by Richard Sennett
“When the press writes scare stories about the global labor supply draining jobs from rich to poor places, the story is usually presented as a "race to the bottom" simply in terms of wages. Capitalism supposedly looks for labor wherever labor is cheapest. This story is half wrong. A kind of cultural selection is also at work, so that jobs leave high-wage countries like the United States and Germany, but migrate to low-wage economies with skilled, sometimes overqualified workers.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Global Labor Market,” 2015, sociological analysis
Job migration is driven not only by low wages but also by cultural and skill mismatches, leading skilled workers to move to low‑wage economies.
In simple terms: Jobs move for skill and culture, not just cheap labor.
Key Takeaway
Consider both economic and cultural factors in labor trends.
Themes
economics
culture
globalization
Mood
analytical
thoughtful
Type
sociological
economic
When to use this quote
- policy making
- business strategy
- career planning
Key Concepts
skill mismatch
cultural selection
labor mobility
Questions to Reflect On
- How do cultural values influence job location?
- What policies can balance skill migration?
A Different Perspective
Cultural fit can outweigh wage differences.
![“We [US] can't compete with low-wage countries in different parts of the world. We cannot compete with countries that play games with currencies or regulations. We can't. We shouldn't.” quote by Tom Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/24f/tom-wolf-60307_country_we-us-can-t-compete-with-low-wage-countr_1061031.jpg)
![“[There are] code words used today to measure the 'authenticity' of relationships or other persons. We speak of whether we can personally 'relate' to events or other persons, and whether in the relationship itself people are 'open' to one another. The first is a cover word for measuring the other…” quote by Richard Sennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a43/richard-sennett-27792_authenticity_there-are-code-words-used-today-to-measu_37186.jpg)
