Why open borders?

The present contribution offers a defence of open borders. It presents a critique of the idea that the state has a justified claim to regulate the movement of people because they reflect the collective endeavours of the members of the state to pursue a shared project of self-rule or self-determination. It argues that this view rests on an indefensible understanding of the nature of the state, which should be viewed less as a collective endeavour than as a product of conflicts among political elites. There is a strong prima facie case for free movement that suggests there should be a presumption in favour of open borders. The argument from self-determination is not a sound basis for justifying restrictions on the movement of people.