Foot Voting and International Migration

This chapter considers ways in which foot voting through international migration enhances political freedom. The potential benefits are greater than those of any other type of foot voting because of the vast differences in quality between different national governments. Expanding international foot-voting opportunities is literally a matter of life and death for millions. For the hundreds of millions who live in undemocratic nations, international migration is the only feasible mechanism for political choice. Free migration throughout the world could potentially double world GDP and vastly increase freedom of all kinds. The chapter addresses claims that the effectiveness of international foot voting is undermined by factors such as moving costs and inequality. These are real problems, but much can be done to mitigate them.

Foot Voting and Federalism

This chapter explains how foot voting in a federal system enhances political freedom. Foot voting between various regional and local governments provides extensive opportunities for political choice, particularly for the poor and disadvantaged. Opportunities for foot voting can be augmented by decentralizing functions of government, and breaking down obstacles to mobility. The chapter also responds to claims that foot voting under federalism is likely to be ineffective because of moving costs, “races to the bottom,” discrimination against minority groups, and inequality. These problems are overstated, amenable to a variety of fixes, or some combination of both. Some issues are so large-scale that they can only be addressed by national governments, thereby making it difficult to effectively decentralize power over them. But such cases are unusual.