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Comment by exit | Hacker News Reader

what would happen if anyone were allowed to live and work anywhere?

I wonder about this, too. I mean, it's funny how people have all these rights including freedom of movement and residence, but only within the country.

The economists usually praise mobility of the population. I wonder if the current state of affairs is simply due to historical reasons.

It seems there are roughly equal numbers of Europeans wanting to live in the US, and USians wanting to live in Europe. I imagine it being possible (albeit hard) to set up some kind of exchange system.

1 in 1 out.

But then, is 1 equal to the other?

I think it would work out ok. There are plenty of wealthy Americans who would flock to Italy, for instance, if it were easier. And plenty of Europeans who might give a job in the US a whirl and then go home. And plenty of Americans who would love to spend a year working in Europe. And vice versa.

I don't think you'd see big imbalances between areas with roughly equivalent living standards.

It works for the EU.

Africa would be mostly empty, for a start.

I seriously doubt that. Take a look at countries where there is a war in just a small part of it. Like congo, for example. People still stay there, even though they are basically free to move anywhere they want in the entire country.

Even if it were allowed, many people would not move.

Do you realise the amount of natural resources Africa has? I doubt it would be empty.

If africa became empty, i would move to it. I hate noise.

But then someone who also hates noise would follow...

As long as you're both quiet you'll be fine.

Depends on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:World_map_of_countries_by_...

World government ?

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