Abstract

CAMACHO, Enrique. Conservative libertarianism and the ethics of borders. Tópicos (México) [online]. 2015, n.48, pp.227-261. ISSN 0188-6649.

Many conservatives endorse a defence of closed borders grounded in basic liberal rights such as the basic right of association. Some conservatives also endorse libertarian principles of legitimacy. It is not clear though that this sort of defence of closed borders is somehow coherent with these libertarian ideals. I argue that conservative libertarians of this kind must reject this defence of closed borders because either it collapses into a form of statism incoherent with libertarian principles of legitimacy, or into an ideal precept without appeal regarding reality in the here and now that could only be applied to changing the very nature of the societies we know. As a result, at least conservative libertarians need to find a different source of justification for closed borders.

Keywords : Immigration; migration; borders; political self-determination; freedom of association; C.H. Wellman; legitimacy; libertarianism; justice; human rights.

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