Do you have to let it linger? – Political membership that remains after territorial exit

Abstract

In this paper, I argue that one permissible solution to the problem of brain drain from less developed countries is to level a tax on the money skilled emigrant workers earn within more developed countries. Contrary to both Brock and Blake, this tax may be levelled even if it was not announced to the emigrants in advance of their training in their home country, and even if they never explicitly agreed to accept that tax as a condition on that training. This is because the emigrants are still political members within their home country – though their membership fades away gradually with time spent in their new country – and can thus be subjected to the burdens of political membership, including redistributive taxation.