Presumably if you're reading this, you hunger for individual liberty-as do I. But how can one actually go about achieving this, when the inertia and constraints of the world often seem so entrenched? There is a time-tested method that is seeing a renaissance: migration.

That's right, a vote with one's feet has immediate consequences and is far more powerful than a vote at the ballot box will ever be. Additionally, the explosion of online information coupled with stagnant or declining opportunities in developed nations is making the tactic more viable than ever, not to mention the cultural adventures that it offers. If you stand back and think about it, borders are merely lines that mark the territories of different rulers. You have no moral obligation to remain within them. In fact, if you believe such rulers are corrupt or oppressive, to leave is a noble form of disapproval, cutting those rulers off from both your tax dollars and your submission. And they notice: just consider the history of the Berlin Wall. 

Okay, but to where, and how? What do different locations have to offer for the liberty-minded, and where are many such individuals going to join forces? In January of this year, I began a radio show, The Stateless Man, to address just those questions. As an immigrant and full-time liberty advocate who's been there, I wanted to aid and inspire others to do the same. Although I grew up in New Zealand, I now live in North Carolina and write for the John Locke and Future of Freedom foundations, and I too am always glad to consider distant shores.

Mozambique

by Andy Eyschen

Our season started early again this year on January 27th with our first Liberty Camp in  Mozambique. At the invitation of the newly elected mayor, Manuel de Araujo, and local organizer Henriques Viola, Glenn and I spent nearly a week in Quelimane. 

During the first 3 days of our visit, we presented a condensed version of our normal program to students from local universities, which was held in the conference room of the Municipal Building in central Quelimane. We expected 25 students, but 35 showed up.  Apparently they recommended our program to their friends, because on the second day, 55 came, and on the last day, over 100 students filled the room and many were forced to stand! We lectured on philosophy, free-market economics, property rights, individual liberty, and entrepreneurship. Although all sentences had to be translated into Portuguese, the official language of Mozambique, discussions were frequent and sometimes heated but always interesting from a population exposed only to socialist teaching since independence in 1975.

Many students were hearing these "radical ideas" for the first time. At the end of the seminar, however, we were all friends and many students had to admit that there was something attractive about these "new" ideas, despite the language difficulties. Of course, we encouraged one and all to study English seriously -- the "Language of Liberty" -- in order to improve their chances of employment, of gaining knowledge, of traveling, and of enlarging their international circle of friends.

On the 4th day, Manuel invited us to present a 4-hour summary of our program to the management and staff of Quelimane City Council. The mayor was keen to get his team to understand his classical liberal philosophy underlying his vision for the city. The reaction from the Council staff was less enthusiastic than that of the students; however, they listened politely and some publicly agreed with our message.

After our Council presentations, we joined Manuel and over 300 city employees at a "town hall" meeting in a nearby soccer stadium. For over an hour, individuals took the microphone and related to the mayor the problems they faced in their daily lives. It was both eye-opening and encouraging, as they had never been given such an opportunity to speak out under the previous administration.

Manuel de Araujo came to office as a result of a special election caused by the former mayor being ousted by his own party for corruption, after holding the office for 13 years. Manuel agreed to be the candidate for the opposition party MDM, but made clear that he intended to pursue his own agenda of transparency, individual empowerment, civil solutions to problems, and free-market reforms. He has invited us -- and our classical liberal friends everywhere -- to help him and his staff to implement our common ideas in a very practical way. His citizens' expectations are high and we should not disappoint them. Failure is not an option here, as there will be no second chance.

In Quelimane we have a great opportunity to implement our ideas and theories in practice and to demonstrate to the entire population of this city that these ideas are superior to the socialist, Marxist philosophy that has been practiced for decades, has left huge potholes in the roads, even in the centre of the city, and has neglected to give people the choice to improve their lives through entrepreneurship. Our most enthusiastic reception came one afternoon after we'd finished our program for the day, when Manuel took us to visit a local market. We were treated almost like heroes, with drinks, speeches and dancing (we're in Africa after all) that spontaneously appeared, demonstrating the enthusiasm the local people have for these new ideas. They may not fully understand these ideas; however, they voted for change and they all expect this change to bring them better lives.

As believers in free minds and free markets and civil solutions to problems, we have an opportunity to help Manuel meet his people's expectations, and perhaps even a responsibility to make sure they understand the ideas and implement them consistently and successfully. Merely talking about freedom here is no longer sufficient; we need to demonstrate now that our ideas, philosophy and theories are indeed superior to the collectivist and corrupt ideas of Manuel's predecessors.

We invite you to participate in this unique opportunity! Invest, visit, encourage others to join. Let's put our philosophy and ideas to the practical test!

Andy is a co-founder and director of the Language of Liberty Institute, and a regular teacher/discussion leader at Liberty Camps. 

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