1147 



Unrest and instability can drive professionals into migration. As 

 physicist A. B. Zahlan of the American University of Beirut observed, 

 "Today, political instability may be the greatest factor behind migra- 

 tion because there are other 'stable' countries to which scientists can 

 go." 2" 



Generalizing on the consequences of adverse political developments, 

 including instability and unrest, and their relevance to brain drain, 

 the CIMT study stated : "These movements have generally resulted in 

 losses of large numbers of highly trained people who might otherwise 

 have made a substantial contribution to the development of their own 

 society." ^^^ 



GOVERXMENTAL INDIFFERENCE TO SCIENTIFIC DEVELOPMENT 



Governmental indifference to scientific development, science policy, 

 research support, and the role of scientists in society provides moti- 

 vation for many scientists and engineers to emigrate. This "push" fac- 

 tor is closely related to the low prestige accorded science and technol- 

 ogy in some parts of the Third World. Assigned a low priority in a 

 nation's value system, scientists and engineers suffer deprivations ac- 

 cordingly in the allocation of resources, in the shortfall of rewards, 

 and in minimal participation in national development. 



The predictable consequence is emigration. "Among research scien- 

 tists" in Africa, wrote R. K. A. Gardiner, "a sense of dissatisfaction 

 with an attitude of indifference which prevents their ideas from being 

 put into practice, provides a powerful urge to go elsewhere." "^ Prof. 

 Amador Muriel portrays graphically the impoverished and primitive 

 state of Philippine science and then concludes: "As in all other pro- 

 fessions, the chief motive for emigration is poor working conditions 

 bred by government apathy and corruption." ^^* A UNESCO study 

 on science and technology in Latin American development attributed 

 one of the "most evident" "push" factors for emigration to the 

 ". . . absence of a national policy for science and technology which 

 would ensure that adequate means are provided for scientific work and 

 that it is properly related to the country's general development." =^" 



EROSION OF NATIONAL LOYALTIES 



Less directly related to the impact of political acts of governments 

 in "pushing" professionals into migration, but nonetheless a power- 



2n Science and technology In developing countries. Nader and Zahlan, op. clt., p. 491. 

 Professor Nader added this explanation : "The problem of political instability In relation to 

 developing scientific institutions beconnes important because there are other places In the 

 world to which scientists from developing countries can go. Moreover, those who do not 

 leave are prevented or hindered by political upheavals from developing the kind of support 

 system for science which I have outlined. If a developing country aims at having a flourish- 

 ing network of scientifically trained persons making various contributions In support of 

 scientific activities, including research, then this network has to be protected from political 

 disorders. The International political situation of today is quite diflferent from that which 

 prevailed when England and Italy were developing their scientific institutions." 



!"2 CIMT study, p. 695. Lafi Ibrahim Jaafarl, a Ph. D. from Iowa State University, con- 

 cluded in a study on Palestinian and Jordanian Arab brain drain to the United States that, 

 "Political instability at home is not the primary reason why students come to the United 

 States to study, but it is one of the major reasons why they do not return." (The Brain 

 Drain to the United States : The Migration of Jordanian and Palestinian Professionals 

 and students," Journal of Palestine Studies, 3 (Autumn 1973), p. 123.) 



2" Gardiner, op. cit., p. 198. 



27* Muriel, op. clt., p. 39. ^ ^ ,. 



'"^ UNESCO, Final Report of the Conference on the Application of Science and i ecn- 

 nology to th( Development of Latin America, 1965, p. 30. 



