Against Anti-Foreigner Politics

The news that the Pune police are deporting 200 foreigners for “overstaying” reminded me of some strange “politics” that is emerging in south Goa, where I now live. This is a politics that seeks to petition the police to take action against foreigners – for overstaying, for beach parties, for their lifestyles, including especially the substances they use for recreational highs, and for engaging in business activities like running “beach shacks.”

What is most interesting is that this politics is being engaged in by people who call themselves “environmentalists.” Such people of course worship nature, and view human beings and their activities as harmful. These people are also invariably friends of The State.

Now, tourism is central to the Goa economy. This is even truer of underdeveloped south Goa. Here in my village, most people let out rooms to tourists, rent out scooters and motorcycles to them, and perform various other services for them, from laundry to ayurveda and yoga. I even saw a sign advertising tabla lessons, and was informed that these are very popular.

Now, the tourist season is from November to March. In the monsoons, there isn’t a single tourist to be found, and the economy is dead. What harm is done if a few “overstay”? These people rent out rooms – and their landlords are happy. The foreigner pays his rent on time, regularly. Why exactly is The State unhappy? What irks their environmentalist friends so much, that they want them thrown out?

As I have been consistently arguing for long, a market catallaxy benefits by being inclusive, by welcoming into its fold all “friendly strangers.” Tourists are not like Chenghiz Khan and his murderous hordes. They arrive armed not with swords, but with credit cards. Many countries offer free visas on arrival, and are happy to extend these visas on demand. India as a tourist destination is competing with these countries. Yet, the visa regime here is a source of immense frustration among tourists who would like to prolong their stay here.

In Goa, there is a great deal of anti-foreigner politics – and this should not be allowed to continue. It goes against the economic interests of all Goans. If a foreigner buys land here, he outbids the locals to do so. If he builds a house, he adds to local Property. All this is good for Goa’s real estate industry. If foreigners run small businesses, they add to the local economy. They also add to local knowledge – as in the case of the lady who makes cheeses here, or the other lady who employs local girls to make junk jewellery. The local economy gains from additions of Capital as well as Knowledge. It is Win-Win. Why are the nature worshippers unhappy?

As India liberalizes, in halting steps, the market is being opened up to big-time, corporate foreign investors. How about opening up the market to the small foreigner as well? We have everything to gain, and nothing to lose – except prejudice against the “outsider.” This is a mentality that sucks.

And as for the environmentalists, they are, as I said, friends of The State. It is they who uphold the nonsensical Coastal Zone Regulation Act. This legislation disallows Property within 500m of the sea and makes many poor people, who traditionally own beachside properties, unable to leverage their properties in the market. This piece of central legislation condemns all those who dwell on the coast to eternal poverty. Throwing out foreigners will only entrench poverty further.

Away with environmentalism!

Away with anti-foreigner politics!

And here’s to Peace, Commerce, Property and a Great and Open Society.