Philippe Legrain

Vincent Benard says:

Hi Philippe
I’ve tried to defend such point of views on several tribunes. Every time, I had to face a dam shooting of critics like “you’re irresponsible, we can’t home all world’s despair, come and live in our neighborhoods, islamist armies will bring the sharia”, and so on.
Most of these critics are now coming from an alliance of so self-called “progressive” left and right conservatives. They fail to understand that a real freedom to cross borders would really mean less permanent immigrants, more economic opportunities for both sides, more money for official economy and less for smugglers…
In my opinion, we have to work closely on the main fears vehicled by immigration in even sane’s person spirits. Dealing with human rights and economics aspects is necessary but not enough : it doesn’t answer to people’s fears about culture and islamization. We have to explain all the benefits that incentives created by a real climate of freedom to come and go could bring to our countries; otherwise we will always be depicted as “stupid idealists living in an unreal world”, as some commenters suggested on “the guardian”.
Can I republish your article on the Hayek Institute of Brussels website ?
(www.fahayek.org)
ps. The “objectif liberte” link in your column is broken. The good one is
http://www.objectifliberte.fr