GMAT Essays (AWA)

ESSAY QUESTION:
The following appeared in the editorial section of a local newspaper:

"The inflow of immigrant workers into our community has put a downward pressure on wages. In fact, the average compensation of unskilled labor in our city has declined by nearly 10% over the past 5 years. Therefore, to protect our local economy, it is essential to impose a moratorium on further immigration."

Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. Point out flaws in the argument's logic and analyze the argument's underlying assumptions. In addition, evaluate how supporting evidence is used and what evidence might counter the argument's conclusion. You may also discuss what additional evidence could be used to strengthen the argument or what changes would make the argument more logically sound.

MY RESPONSE:
The argument states that in order to protect our local economy it is essential to impose a moratorium on further immigration. Stated in this way and with the logic that has been put forward in support of this argument, it is not only unconvincing , but also makes very little sense and is highly refutable.

Firstly, the author does hold the inflow of immigrant workers into our community responsible for downward pressure on wages. The author sounds more like having some kind of biased opinion and he does not at all give any concrete evidence to prove his point. It would have been better if the author had put forward a more educated and statistics enriched study in order to support his conclusion. Clearly , the author fails to establish any direct relationship between downward pressure on wages and immigration inflow. He also generalizes the immigrant workers and doesn't clearly state any case specific scenario.


Secondly, the author puts forward some statistics which does not at all prove that the decline in the wage is solely for immigration rise. It is just a random slice that has been taken and the reasons are not at all analysed. The whole economy might be hit and that could well be the reason why the wages were hit. What if , the whole economy has gone through a slowdown over the past 5 years. Maybe the unskilled labor wages are actually higher. It would have been more convincing if the author had given any comparison chart to juxtapose some other sector where there is lesser presence of unskilled immigrant labor and prove his point. Clearly , the author fails to do so, and as a result his claim seems to be simply based out of his own skewed views.

Thirdly, the conclusion that the author draws if far from practical. Our country is based on an intermingling influx of cultures and immigration has played a vital part in the richness of the American society. Diversity is what has made America what it is today. Instead of nailing down the real reasons of economic downturn and just by curbing immigration , the author not just questions the very basic integrity of our society but he also seems like fooling readers by diverting away from the real cause. Let us assume for a moment that immigration is curbed . Will that be enough reason to give wind to the sails of the economic downturn , the author fails to address that.

In the conclusion, it can be said that the author's choice of words look very biased. Instead of giving enough proof he has directly concluded something which does not really have any logic. Neither has he given an iota of any kind of analysis , nor has he given any example to support his claim. On the other hand, judging about the very basic concept of the richness of diversity that America can be proud of ,goes on to prove the ignorance of the author. Stated in the way the author chose, the claim is unsubstantial and open to all kinds of doubts.