The Economics of Employing Foreigners versus Locals
I used to teach Economics, and wrote this in response to a student who questioned Singapore bosses' treatment of our foreign workers. If the boss houses them an d pays them the way they would pay a Singaporean, then the bosses, well, they would rather pay a Singaporean. It is basic demand and supply, the very same thing I told a Chinese reporter (back when I was in Shanghai) who demanded to know why I was paid so highly compared to a Chinese principal. I told her the same thing - if the boss could get a lower paid Chinese to do the same thing I did, they would. I got paid and treated that way because the boss needed my value. In the same way, the day when the boss no longer needs the "value" those exploited workers give (said value in this case being their low wages and exploit-ability), a Singaporean would then take up the position. Or perhaps, one day, when the law mandates that the boss needs to treat them the same way a Singaporean would be treated, the boss