Kristin Surak book talk: The Golden Passport - Global Mobility for Millionaires

Summary

In a profound lecture at Brown University, Kristen Surak delves into the intriguing dynamics of citizenship by investment, a topic central to her book 'The Golden Passport'. Surak explores the commodification of citizenship, where wealth can buy global mobility and security, drastically redefining traditional notions of belonging and national identity. Through her meticulous research across 16 countries and conversations with over 500 individuals, Surak unveils how states and elites navigate this complex market. Her insights challenge conventional views on citizenship, revealing its role in perpetuating global inequalities and reshaping our understanding of state-market relations in a globalized world.

Takeaways

• 📖 The book 'The Golden Passport' by Kristen Surak offers a detailed analysis of how elites utilize foreign citizenship for personal advantage, exploring broader themes like international relations, economic policy, and citizenship.
• 🗳️ Kristen Surak's research involves visiting 16 countries and interviewing around 500 people to understand the global market of citizenship by investment, showcasing the depth of her investigation.
• 💰 Citizenship by investment programs are formal government initiatives allowing individuals to acquire citizenship through predefined investments, distinguishing them from discretionary grants or residency by investment programs.
• 💻 The geopolitical implications of citizenship by investment are significant, with major powers like the EU and the US exerting influence over the programs of smaller countries, especially in terms of visa-free travel and acceptance criteria.
• 📈 Countries offering citizenship by investment rely significantly on it for revenue, with some programs contributing over 10% to their GDP, highlighting the economic importance of these schemes to small economies.
• 👥 Approximately 500,000 people gain approval through citizenship by investment programs annually, reflecting a notable demand for such schemes among the global elite for reasons beyond simple tax evasion.
• 🛩 Buyers of investment citizenship often seek extraterritorial benefits such as visa-free travel, safety nets in political or economic turmoil, lifestyle opportunities, and business advantages, rather than rights within the countries granting citizenship.
• 🔨 The global market for citizenship by investment challenges traditional notions of citizenship, showcasing how it can exacerbate inequalities both within and between countries, and highlighting the commodification of citizenship in a globalized world.
• 📚 Surak's work illuminates the complex ecology of public and private sector interactions in the citizenship by investment industry, showing how these relationships can vary from symbiotic to collusive.
• 📌 The emergence of digital nomad programs as a continuation of the themes explored in Surak's research points to an evolving landscape of global mobility and citizenship, further complicating traditional ties between individuals and nation-states.

Q & A

What is 'The Golden Passport' book about?

The Golden Passport' explores how elites leverage foreignness for their own benefit, particularly focusing on the global market of selling citizenship to wealthy individuals. It delves into the politics, economics, and social aspects of how citizenship can be sold, why states do it, why people buy it, and its implications on globalization.

Who is Kristen Surak, and what makes her scholarship notable?

Kristen Surak is a scholar recognized for her wide-ranging academic interests, from ethnographic studies like 'Making Tea, Making Japan' to macro sociological analyses such as 'The Golden Passport'. Her ability to connect microsociological practices to significant macro-political events showcases her exceptional scholarly range.

What are citizenship by investment programs?

Citizenship by investment programs are formal government initiatives that grant citizenship based on predefined investments, such as investing in real estate, specified businesses, or making a monetary donation to a country. These programs standardize the naturalization process, requiring financial investments, background checks, and sometimes residency.

How do countries and private sectors interact in the citizenship by investment market?

The citizenship by investment market relies on a complex ecology between the public and private sectors. This includes partnerships for program formalization, external oversight for legitimacy, and a supply chain involving multiple agents. The interaction can be symbiotic, substitutive, collusive, or commandeering, affecting the flow of money and program sustainability.

Why do people buy citizenship from other countries?

People buy citizenship for mobility, as an insurance policy (plan B), lifestyle opportunities (e.g., education, healthcare), and business opportunities. Wealthy individuals leverage this to overcome limitations imposed by their original citizenship, often seeking extraterritorial rights and benefits rather than domestic ones.

How does geopolitics influence the citizenship by investment market?

Geopolitical dynamics, especially actions by dominant powers like the EU and the US, significantly impact the citizenship by investment market. These powers can apply pressure on countries to end their programs or influence whom they accept as citizens, affecting the market's operation and the value of certain citizenships.

What challenges do citizenship by investment programs pose for global inequality?

Citizenship by investment programs exacerbate global and intracountry inequalities by allowing wealthy individuals to purchase benefits and rights unavailable to others. This system underscores the mobility and opportunity disparities based on one's birth citizenship and economic resources.

How do citizenship by investment programs benefit small or micro-states?

For small or micro-states, citizenship by investment programs can be significant economic boons, sometimes constituting a large portion of their GDP. These programs can provide crucial revenue streams, particularly in times of economic downturn or when other sectors like tourism are underperforming.

What are the main sources of demand for citizenship by investment?

The main demand for citizenship by investment comes from individuals in China, the Middle East, Russia, and increasingly from the United States. These individuals seek citizenship for reasons ranging from mobility and safety to business and lifestyle opportunities.

What future directions did Kristen Surak mention for her research?

Kristen Surak expressed interest in researching digital nomad programs as a future direction, focusing on the temporary and fluid relationship between states and mobile populations. This includes how states compete for desirable populations and the implications for global inequality and citizenship dynamics.