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Migration, Economic Freedom, and Personal Freedom: An Empirical Analysis

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  • Cebula, Richard
  • Clark, Jeff

Abstract

Economic freedom increases market efficiency, growth, development, and individual prosperity. This study empirically investigates whether higher levels of economic freedom, as well as higher levels of personal freedom, act like magnets for persons residing in a free society to move. In other words, do the prospects of both greater economic and personal freedom in any given state relative other states act to induce a greater influx of migrants? This empirical study of domestic migration between 2000 and 2008 finds clear evidence that migrants prefer to move to those states with greater economic freedom on the one hand and greater personal freedom on the other hand.

Suggested Citation

  • Cebula, Richard & Clark, Jeff, 2010. "Migration, Economic Freedom, and Personal Freedom: An Empirical Analysis," MPRA Paper 50957, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 20 Apr 2010.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:50957
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Richard J. Cebula & Fabrizio Rossi, 2021. "Religiosity and corporate risk-taking: evidence from Italy," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 45(4), pages 751-763, October.
    2. Richard J. Cebula & Gigi M. Alexander, 2020. "Economic and Noneconomic Factors Influencing Geographic Differentials in Homelessness: An Exploratory State‐Level Analysis," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 79(2), pages 511-540, March.
    3. Jackson, Jeremy, 2018. "Prairie Prosperity: An Economic Guide for the State of North Dakota," Annals of Computational Economics, George Mason University, Mercatus Center, October.
    4. Richard Cebula & Christopher Duquette & Franklin Mixon, 2013. "Factors Influencing the State-Level Settlement Pattern of the Undocumented Immigrant Population in the United States," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 41(3), pages 203-213, September.
    5. Murphy, Ryan H., 2016. "A Short Empirical Note on State Misery Indexes," Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy, Mid-Continent Regional Science Association, vol. 46(2), December.
    6. Watkins, Tate & Yandle, Bruce, 2010. "Can Freedom and Knowledge Economy Indexes Explain Go-Getter Migration Patterns?," Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy, Mid-Continent Regional Science Association, vol. 40(2), pages 1-12.
    7. Alexander Cardazzi & Robert A. Lawson, 2023. "Economic freedom and one‐way truck rental prices: An empirical note," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 82(4), pages 313-318, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    labor markets; migration; economic freedom; personal freedom; tax avoidance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H24 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies
    • H31 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Household
    • J20 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - General
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • P14 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Property Rights

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