Political scientist Joseph Wright urged policymakers to consider the political impact of migrant remittances, which support democratization in authoritarian states.

by Victoria Salcedo

UCLA International Institute, February 6, 2025 — Speaking at the UCLA Center for the Study of International Migration about his recent book, “Migration and Democracy” (Princeton, 2022, co-authored by Abel Escribà-Folch and Covadonga Meseguer), political scientist Joseph Wright said that, “At the macro level, we find a strong correlation between remittance inflows and transitions away from dictatorship.”

The Pennsylvania State University professor argued that financial remittances sent by migrants play a crucial role in undermining authoritarian regimes. Remittances are funds transferred by migrants to their home countries, often sent to support family members. In 2024, remittance flows to low- and middle- income countries were expected to reach $685 billion, surpassing foreign direct investment and official development assistance combined.* “Migration and Democracy” provides compelling evidence that remittances are not just an economic lifeline for families — they also play a political role in weakening authoritarian regimes.

Wright’s study is grounded in extensive data analysis from multiple authoritarian states, with a particular focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. During his talk, he highlighted some of the statistical models used to establish causal relationships between remittance inflows and political change.

By offering financial independence to citizens, remittances reduce reliance on government-controlled economic structures, fund opposition movements and contribute to both electoral shifts and social protests. Rather than simply support family welfare, remittances reshape political landscapes, enabling citizens to challenge entrenched power structures.

Adrian Maramil (UCLA), Professor Joseph Wright (Pennsylvania State
University), and Professor Roger Waldinger (UCLA). (Photo: Victoria Salcedo/ UCLA.)

How Remittances Undermine Authoritarian Control

Unlike democracies, authoritarian regimes maintain power by controlling economic resources, using state revenue to fund patronage networks. Here, authoritarian regimes are defined as political systems in which a single leader or ruling party holds concentrated power, limit political freedoms, suppress opposition and control state institutions.

Remittances create an alternative financial stream that bypasses the state, reducing citizens’ dependence on government programs. As the speaker explained, “[I]t’s government, or government-controlled firms or firms closely connected to the government, that receive other forms of foreign aid. Whereas largely, remittances flow to families outside of government control.”

Recipients’ greater financial independence weakens coercive government tactics, which include vote-buying, suppression of protests and economic blackmail, he explained.

Wright noted that remittance-receiving communities are more likely to engage in protests and are less likely to support authoritarian incumbents. With a more secure financial foundation, individuals can afford to take political risks, such as engaging in demonstrations, without the immediate fear of losing state-provided benefits or employment.

In Burkina Faso, for example, protests in 2014 ultimately led to the resignation of long-time ruler Blaise Compaoré. Wright argued that remittance-supported communities played a pivotal role in protest mobilization efforts.

“In Mexico, the incumbent party lost a fair, free election and gave up power in the year 2000. The economic independence enabled by remittances allowed voters to resist state influence and clientelistic networks,” Wright commented. This electoral shift marked a major transition to democracy in Mexico.

Findings from the study also revealed that as remittance inflows increase, electoral support for authoritarian leaders in receiving countries tends to decline. “Reducing clientelistic links — that is, the ability of the government to buy votes or turnout — should reduce turnout overall, particularly in swing districts. Regimes rely on local brokers, who tend to target low-income voters because outside income should have the strongest effect among them.” Meanwhile, in opposition strongholds, the financial security provided by remittances encourages political activism, empowering citizens to mobilize against repressive governments.

These findings, Wright reflected, suggest that financial inflows from migrants indirectly shape electoral outcomes, making it more difficult for autocrats to secure victory through traditional patronage strategies.

Do Democratic Ideas Accompany Remittances?

During the question and answer portion of the talk, Wright addressed the debate over “ideological remittances,” that is, the possibility that migrants transmit democratic values along with financial support to their home communities.

“If you have someone sending you money from a democracy, might they also be sending you ideas? Yes, [but] that's, of course, a difficult thing to measure. You could think about how money and ideas might flow together, or there might be cases in which they don’t,” he remarked.

While some scholars argue that exposure to democratic societies influences the political beliefs of those receiving remittance transfers, Wright remained cautious. He suggested that economic empowerment alone is sufficient to drive political change, noting that it is difficult to quantify ideological transmission.

Migration as a Force for Democracy

Wright and his co-authors’ work challenges traditional narratives about migration, arguing that it is not just an economic phenomenon, but a driver of democratization.

Although further research is needed to compare the effects of remittances on receiving communities in democratic and authoritarian countries, his findings suggest that migration plays a crucial role in shaping political landscapes worldwide. Both the Burkina Faso and Mexico examples reinforce the transformative political impact of remittances, demonstrating their role in funding opposition movements and enabling political change.

Wright urged policymakers and scholars to consider the political impact of migration alongside its economic effects, as remittances continue to fuel democratization in authoritarian states.

“If we care about democracy and we care about undermining dictatorships, then we should care about these two kinds of methods for toppling dictatorships: elections, the opposition winning elections and protest uprisings,” he concluded.

* Dilip Ratha, Sonia Plaza and Eugn Ju Kim, December 18, 2024, World Bank Blogs.

Published: Thursday, February 6, 2025