In Defense of National Borders

In this Mises Wire article, the author argues that defending national borders is a legitimate and necessary function of government grounded in property rights and national sovereignty.

• The piece asserts that border enforcement is consistent with classical liberal and libertarian principles, particularly the defense of private property and voluntary association.
• It challenges the idea that strong borders contradict free-market ideology, arguing that sovereignty and jurisdiction are prerequisites for ordered liberty.
• The author distinguishes between free trade and free migration, noting that people are not goods and carry legal, political, and cultural implications.
• The article contends that in a welfare-state system, large-scale immigration can lead to forced wealth redistribution, undermining voluntary exchange.
• It emphasizes that borders define legal accountability and the scope of governance, without which state authority becomes incoherent.
• The piece frames national defense—including border security—as one of the minimal but essential roles of government.
• It concludes that protecting borders supports national self-determination and the protection of citizens’ rights.

Read the full story: https://mises.org/mises-wire/defense-national-borders