Emigration as disaster relief

This page builds on ideas developed in the ghosts versus zombies page. In that page, it is noted that certain “shocks” can substantially shrink the desired populations of specific regions, and that one way of reaching an equilibrium is to allow people to emigrate from those regions to other regions with higher desired populations. If such emigration is not allowed, the regions become “zombies” and the people suffer.

Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and large-scale droughts could result in such shocks, particularly if their negative effects are widespread. Thus, freer emigration in the face of such natural disasters could help with relief and recovery from the disaster.

See also:

"The Efficient, Egalitarian, Libertarian, Utilitarian Way to Double World GDP" — Bryan Caplan