uneven immigration patterns lead to inequality: in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries immigration was very common into areas previously less populated (north america, argentina, brazil, chile, australia, new zealand) from already technologically advanced areas (germany, united kingdom, france, spain, portugal). this facilitated an uneven diffusion of technological practices since only areas with high immigration levels benefited. immigration patterns in the twenty-first century continue to feed this uneven distribution of technological innovation. people are eager to leave countries in the south to improve the quality of their lives by sharing in the perceived prosperity of the north. "south and central americans want to live and work in north america. africans and southwest asians want to live and work in europe. southeast asians want to live and work in north america and europe".