AHC: Major European Power Seals its Borders in the 19th Century

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The challenge is make mass emigration to the US such an issue for any particular European nation of your choosing that it goes as far as to close its borders.

Bonus points if you can make it one of the big 5 of the late century period
(UK, Germany, AH, Russia, France)
 
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I wonder if the UK might at least close of emigration from Ireland if they fear that powerful Irish groups in America are lobbying for an independent Ireland?
 
The thing is Europe was in such a state at that time that immigration was more beneficial than not so it is really, really hard to do this. I think a war or a very paranoid leader might, so maybe Russia or Germany?
 
who cares about thr US? It's irrelevant, more Irish out more place for settlers.

After the US industrialises, it could be dangerous to the UK. Luckily relations between the two powers were amiable in OTL, but in an ATL it might be different. If America and Britain view each other as viable threats - maybe over influence in Asia, or the Middle East or something - it could be in either power's interest to try and break the other or weaken it. If the Irish are flocking to the States to get away from British tyranny, and gaining wealth there or forming influential mobs, then there might be groups who would lobby for an independent Ireland with American backing.

In that case, the British might very well try and bar emigration from Ireland to the US to prevent any more silly ideas being spread to the Americans. They might also bar immigration of repatriated Irish to Ireland for the same reason.
 
A couple of German states actually did that for a while. It just never stuck - the technological and logistical limitations of the time make it a relatively ineffective gesture. You can't stop emigration with the means of the pre-WWI state. You can stop legal emigration, but that's not really something you want to do. And most governments figured out quickly that emigration was a net plus for everyone (except the Native Americans). So the reason can't be economic and it can't be effective...

I think Russia is your best bet for a major power. For an idea: Decembrist reformists are somehow more successful (maybe not having a coup and influencing policy in other ways?) As a result, Russia introduces mandatory public education and abolishes serfdom. So far, so good. A few decades later, it is pointed out to the Czar that schools cost a fortune (anything on the scale of Russia does) and every Russian who leaves the country after having gone to school is a net loss to the fisc. The government opines that anyone wanting to colonise a frontier can bloody well do that in Siberia and Central Asia, and a ban on emigration is enacted.

In the long run, the system won't hold. Russia has lousy feedback mechanisms, so responses are liablew to arise locally and on a case-by-case basis. Exceptions will certainly be made both for the wealthy and the connected. The bureaucracy involved in processing this is going to inspire a good deal of satire. We will also see temporary travel permits for anyone intending to return, including the hundreds of thousands of Polish migrant workers keeping Prussia's great estates going and the Czar's Muslim subjects making Hajj. I wouldn't want to guess at the cost, most likely it will be offset by fees and bribes. Suckage all around, basically.
 
Denmark did so after the Napoleonic Wars to avoid a influx of German refugees, while having to deal with state bankruptcy in 1813 (caused by the Gunboat War), also Denmark kept it border close for Romanis for around 300 years.
 
Denmark did so after the Napoleonic Wars to avoid a influx of German refugees, while having to deal with state bankruptcy in 1813 (caused by the Gunboat War), also Denmark kept it border close for Romanis for around 300 years.

That immigration - were talking about emigration and trying to prevent home populaces from leaving ( a la North Korea or Soviet Union)
 
That immigration - were talking about emigration and trying to prevent home populaces from leaving ( a la North Korea or Soviet Union)

Sorry in that case, this is absolute wrong point in time to push this. In the 17th and 18th century emigration had usual been restricted in a lot of European countries, it was a way for the countries to avoid lose tax payers, it was especially the large centralised state which put this, which is a reason why do many American descendent of German immigrants in this period come from the smaller German states. In the late 18th century there was a shift in perception of emigration, no longer was it seen as a way to lose tax payers, instead the perception changed to it being a way to get rid of trouble makers.

So what we need are a much more brutal Napoleonic Wars which almost depopulate some of the bigger states and these states needing to rebuild its population. But the changes in warfare make this pretty hard to implement.
 
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