CHARACTER OF OVERSEAS EMIGRANTS 77 Depression years when they took over the land from Burmese peasants who could not return their debts. Similarly, he underplays the grotcs* queness of the growth of the forces of racism in Britain, though the atro-cities on Indian immigrants arc now well known and well-documented.2 One important omission may also be pointed out, namely, the immigration to West Asia. Though this is no new phenomenon, the numbers involved have increased since the oil price hike in 1973. However, there is no special mention of this in the book. All these apart, there are a few definite lessons that we need to learn from the experience of emigrant Indians. First of all, it is clear that each country makes rules about emigration and immigration to suit its labour requirements. For example, ^the Asians came to Britain because many of the older labour-intensive industries were unable to obtain workers" (p 176), but now they have become a 'threat'. Again, ^as in Canada, the selection procedure favoured those with skills in short supply in the United States^ (p 194), that is, the ce point5' system was manipulated to regulate immigration of needed skills. Once the immigrant labourers become redundant either by replacement by domestic personnel or technological advancement they become an object of contempt. The unemployed within that country itself views them as their competitors; and the cry of inferior race or exploiter class is raised. In countries where this has not happened already, it can at any time. Thus we cannot look upon emigration as a permanent solution for the problems that we face—whether it is unemployment or the lack of foreign exchange.8 The issue of race itself may be raised in this connection. There are no doubt, different races in the world, but, the meaning of race has become subordinate to the myth of race: it is politically and socially profitable to emphasize the biological differences of mankind, and to minimize (or deny) the biologically more important universality...if there are no biological differences between the groups, he (the protagonist of race differences) will invent them (as Nazi ideologists invented quite imaginary differences between ^Aryans' and Jews); if there are differences, he will exaggerate them and interpret them to his profit.4 There are several instances in the book where once the immigrants become unwanted, the race problem raises its ugly head immediately. Moreover, the employers use it deliberately to create dissensions in the ranks of the labourers and to divert their attention from the inability of the system to create adequate job opportunities. In short, race is another weapon in the hands of the capitalists often used to cover their own follies. It is also pertinent to ask the question why people emigrate. The phenomenon, it would seem, is a result of the contradictions inherent in our development process. On the one hand, employment opportunities