A Common Good Approach to Free Movement of People and Capital

The movement of people and capital is fundamental to economic development worldwide. However, particularly in global and regional contexts, it has also engendered widespread feelings of economic and cultural insecurity. Attempts to address this often rely on assumptions about freedom of choice for the individual or economic utility (i.e. the benefits or costs for the majority). By contrast, applying the perspective of the common good involves holding personal fulfilment and community flourishing in balance. This essay seeks to advance an alternative approach to the free movement of people and capital based on the perspective of personal virtue and the common good – one that can help to address existing anxieties and provide a source of fresh policy ideas, adding to the ongoing work being carried on in faith communities and other groups that exist in the space between the individual and the state.