Archive: Open Switzerland

Should Switzerland, and the world, open their borders to free migration? In our latest podcast, Ilya Somin, a Professor of Law at George Mason University in Fairfax, USA, and Oliver Zimmer, a historian and research director at the Center for Research in Economics, Management, and the Arts, engage in a thought-provoking discussion. Moderated by Christoph Eisenring from Avenir Suisse, the debate explores the far-reaching implications of open borders and unrestricted migration.

Ilya Somin argues that open borders significantly enhance human freedom. He contends that people living in societies with limited opportunities could achieve higher productivity and prosperity by moving to freer, wealthier countries. For Somin, supporting freedom of movement within nations while opposing it between them is a glaring contradiction. Oliver Zimmer pushes back, describing Somin’s vision as a “libertarian utopia” that overlooks the crucial roles of culture and institution-building. He stresses that democratic societies must retain control over the scale and pace of migration to preserve stability and cohesion.

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It’s not every day that you receive a visit from a politician who once led a G7 nation. Although her tenure as Prime Minister was short-lived, Liz Truss made a significant impact on the global stage, particularly during her time as the Foreign Minister of the United Kingdom. During her brief visit to Switzerland, she did not miss the opportunity to visit our think tank and engage in a detailed and fruitful conversation with our researchers, discussing the challenges and opportunities of liberalism. Marc Lehmann asked Liz Truss what she gained from the exchange at Avenir Suisse.

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