Capitalism and the freedom to walk away

Anyone driving through central Italy this summer might have seen an unusual street advertisement touting the services of a « Sardinian dentist in Moldova ». Italians like their dentists to be Italian, but some don’t like paying Italian prices. High taxes and complex regulations have made health tourism popular.

An essential, though overlooked, aspect of freedom is the ability to walk away. This is true not only for those fleeing autocrats, but also for those seeking to improve their lot in life. The freedom to leave is essential for the dissident but also for the businessman and the handyman, without forgetting the dentist.