Foot voting
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It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Tiebout model. (Discuss) Proposed since February 2010. |
In demographics, foot voting describes the tendency of people to "vote with their feet",[1] that is to migrate when they perceive situations to be more beneficial elsewhere. It is also used as an analogy to describe shifting political or commercial allegiances.
It is similar in nature to Dollar voting.
Just as dollar voting requires a degree of economic freedom to be effective, foot voting is effective only if people have the freedom to migrate.
The concept is frequently associated with Charles Tiebout.[2] The term was also popularized by Ronald Reagan.[3] Lenin is also said to have created the term in 1918 during World War I when he said that Russian soldiers had voted in favour of peace with Germany with their feet, since they were deserting in large numbers from the front line.
Here's Milton Friedman's perspective on foot voting...
- The second broad principle is that government power must be dispersed. If government is to exercise power, better in the county than in the state, better in the state than in Washington. If I do not like what my local community does, be it in sewage disposal, or zoning, or schools, I can move to another local community, and though few may take this step, the mere possibility acts as a check. If I do not like what Washington imposes, I have few alternatives in this world of jealous nations. Capitalism and freedom
Here's Friedrich Hayek's perspective on foot voting (via Alan O. Ebenstein)
- He put forward his conception of optimal realizable utopia for humanity as he saw it in Law, Legislation and Liberty - "the transformation of local and even regional governments into quasi-commercial corporations competing for citizens. They would have to offer a combination of advantages and costs which made life within their territory at least as attractive as elsewhere…To re-entrust the management of most service activities of government to smaller units would probably lead to a revival of a communal spirit." He remarked in The Constitution of Liberty on "competition between municipalities," and said in an interview, "I'm inclined to give local authorities power which I would deny to the central government, because people can vote with their feet against what the local governments can do." Friedrich Hayek: a biography
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