AN ALTERNATIVE THEORY OF THE BRAIN DRAIN

This paper departs from the standard welfare-theoretic analyses [see Bhagwati and Rodrigues, (1975)] of the brain drain by returning to its original definition, viz., the migration of professionals such as doctors, nurses, academics, etc., whose services may be treated as non-tradable consumption goods. It is shown that such brain drain not only reduces the welfare of non-emigrants, but, in addition, the migrant professionals may not always succeed in compensating the non-emigrants and remain as well off as before.