Why is there no libertarian state with open borders? What rational libertarian state would have open borders or mass immigration? That would just guarantee the swift demise of said state.
Ken
Bob,
What rational libertarian state would have open borders or mass immigration? That would just guarantee the swift demise of said state.
The US had an open borders police for most of its existence. The border didn’t start to close until the early to mid 20th century. Anyone could come to the US and live as he saw fit, wherever he saw fit for most of the US’s history.
Not till after the US became the most powerful nation on earth and had the largest economy on earth did the border start to close and xenophobia start to run wild. This started, not surprisingly, with the rise of “progressivism”, which is built on top of racism and elitism and a hearty helping of oikophobia.
So if the US became the most wealthy and powerful nation on earth with an open borders policy, which resulted due to the mass immigration into the country as well as the freedom to be found, this kind of puts a damper on your suggestion that this would “guarantee a swift demise of said state” doesn’t it?
newrouter
“The US had an open borders police for most of its existence.”
Not really. Having legislation on the books doesn’t really mean anything. This is like saying that no one speeds, or a very few at the most, because there is a piece of legislation somewhere says you can’t go faster than X mph.
Yes, it’s true there were some pieces of legislation to keep “undesirables” out, but they were very ineffective and ignored, by the authorities even. Swarms of humanity 9(tens of millions) flocked to the American shores for a very long time before and after the US existed.
Lastly, your wiki link tends to reinforce my earlier post, as the number of legistlation was fairly sparse in the 1800s and early 1900s ratched up beginning the 20th century. Getting started in the 1920s, then really rocking and rolling after 1950. Since 1950, not a decade went by where some piece of immigration didn’t get enacted. Compare that to just four pieces in the 1800s (taking place in the last 25 years of the 1800s) and only three in the early stages of the republic. On your list there are just 7 entries before 1900, 111 years of the republic, and 17 since 1950, 63 years of the republic.
“Not really. Having legislation on the books doesn’t really mean anything.”
Generally speaking, I tend to agree, but there are some glaring exceptions: the anti-Chinese acts and similar racist immigration laws were pretty horrible.
Comments
5 responses to “The Answer”
Why is there no libertarian state with open borders? What rational libertarian state would have open borders or mass immigration? That would just guarantee the swift demise of said state.
Bob,
What rational libertarian state would have open borders or mass immigration? That would just guarantee the swift demise of said state.
The US had an open borders police for most of its existence. The border didn’t start to close until the early to mid 20th century. Anyone could come to the US and live as he saw fit, wherever he saw fit for most of the US’s history.
Not till after the US became the most powerful nation on earth and had the largest economy on earth did the border start to close and xenophobia start to run wild. This started, not surprisingly, with the rise of “progressivism”, which is built on top of racism and elitism and a hearty helping of oikophobia.
So if the US became the most wealthy and powerful nation on earth with an open borders policy, which resulted due to the mass immigration into the country as well as the freedom to be found, this kind of puts a damper on your suggestion that this would “guarantee a swift demise of said state” doesn’t it?
“The US had an open borders police for most of its existence.”
you are wrong
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_immigration_laws
you are wrong
Not really. Having legislation on the books doesn’t really mean anything. This is like saying that no one speeds, or a very few at the most, because there is a piece of legislation somewhere says you can’t go faster than X mph.
Yes, it’s true there were some pieces of legislation to keep “undesirables” out, but they were very ineffective and ignored, by the authorities even. Swarms of humanity 9(tens of millions) flocked to the American shores for a very long time before and after the US existed.
Lastly, your wiki link tends to reinforce my earlier post, as the number of legistlation was fairly sparse in the 1800s and early 1900s ratched up beginning the 20th century. Getting started in the 1920s, then really rocking and rolling after 1950. Since 1950, not a decade went by where some piece of immigration didn’t get enacted. Compare that to just four pieces in the 1800s (taking place in the last 25 years of the 1800s) and only three in the early stages of the republic. On your list there are just 7 entries before 1900, 111 years of the republic, and 17 since 1950, 63 years of the republic.
“Not really. Having legislation on the books doesn’t really mean anything.”
Generally speaking, I tend to agree, but there are some glaring exceptions: the anti-Chinese acts and similar racist immigration laws were pretty horrible.