The Foot-Voting Constitution

This chapter explains how constitutional systems can be structured to maximize opportunities for foot voting, while mitigating potential downsides. Foot voting can be expanded by limits on central government power, strong federal systems (including autonomy for local as well as regional governments), guarantees of freedom of movement, and a variety of constitutional individual rights. Internal foot voting can also be augmented by incentivizing competition between subnational governments. International foot voting can be facilitated by constitutional limitations on central governments’ authority to restrict immigration. Constitutions can also help ensure that governments at all levels are able to use keyhole solutions to address potential downsides of migration. 82