By Edward Mohr The recruitment of low-wage migrant workers across borders in many ways has changed little over the last century. In 1916, the US Department of Labor stated that the newly arrived immigrant is reliant on private-sector recruiters who always hold out glowing promises of work but most often exploit mobile workers for financial gain. Over 100 years later, recruitment agencies continue to systematically abuse low-wage migrant workers seeking work across borders around the world, hurting not only vulnerable individuals but also the economies of the countries where mobile workers most often work and those they originate from.

"Volume 14 (2026): Issue 3 (Aug 2026)" published on 01 Aug 2026 by Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.

By John Storm Pedersen, Professor Emeritus, Department of Political Science and Public Management, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark Will digital transformation lead to the end of the national welfare state? Does digital transformation make it impossible for national welfare states to fulfil their historical task of helping vulnerable citizens who need help the most? In the following, I argue that a specific combination of digital transformation, the digital divide, failed public policies on digital inclusion, dependence on Big Tech, and geopolitical changes can make it impossible for national welfare states to fulfil this historical task.