Social, Political and Cultural Remittances: Implications for the Origin and Destination Countries

Abstract

Remittances have been one of the most critical components of the population migration debate. Since migration has been studied academically, the ‘remittance equals cash’ idea has dominated other types of remittances. This study focuses on in-kind remittances, which are transfers of goods and services sent by migrants (other than money) from their destination country. We examined the literature using content analysis. The research investigates how a nation takes shape through the injection of remittances in kind (RK) brought by ‘migrant populations’ of both origins and destinations, using empirical and theoretical evidence. RK are worth considering for a variety of reasons, the most important of which is that they play an essential part in international collectivist development. Second, they highlight the societal effects of migration. Third, they have a chance of gaining public support. With great transformative power, RK has the capacity to alter a nation’s economy, values and lifestyle. This article establishes for the first time, by re-conceptualizing conventional wisdom, that the major development paradigm shift that has occurred in Asia’s economies over the decades has been largely due to the contribution of RK brought and sent to by individuals such as Gandhi in India, Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam, Shinawatra in Thailand, Jose Rizal in the Philippines and Suu Kyi in Myanmar. We conducted qualitative research and relied heavily on secondary data sources. This article delves into a fresh idea about migration and remittances. This is a new addition to the migration and development scholarship.