VOLUNTARY EXPATS ARE REPLACING POLITICAL EXILES

   

“The idea of being away from home is so inconceivable to me.”  Zadie Smith

History gives us many examples of individuals who supported an out-of- favor political cause who were then forced or opted to live outside their native country. In early modern history, these individuals were often coerced to leave by political enemies and branded exiles. Today, those on the wrong side of election outcomes are more likely to become expatriates (expats) who voluntarily leave their country of origin. This commentary will explore the escalating trend of those opposed to Trump to leave the United States since he was elected president.

First, a brief history on exiles. Traditionally, those exiled for their political beliefs, did not want to leave their culture, extended family, or fellow citizens. Often an exiled individual was the deposed sovereign leader of his people. According to Wikipedia, throughout history 95 important heads of state have been exiled from their homeland based on shifting politics.

To avoid political dissent, governments have also exiled citizens who threatened their claim to power. In 41 AD, Roman Emperor Claudius exiled the respected philosopher Seneca to the island of Corsica for his political beliefs.

In 130l AD, the famous poet, Dante Alighieri, author of The Divine Comedy, was exiled from Florence for his political affiliations. He was banished at age 36 never to see the city again.

The well-loved author, Victor Hugo, was forced out of France in 1851 due to his opposition to the Second Empire of Napoleon III. Hugo spent 19 years in exile on the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey. After the fall of the Emperor, Hugo returned to Paris in 1870 to the welcome of cheering crowds. 

More recently in 1959, the Dali Lama, both the spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet, was exiled by the Chinese. The Soviet Union stripped Andrei Sakharov of all his Soviet titles in 1980, then exiled him to the city of Gorky. Not until 1985, when Mikhail Gorbachev came to power, was he allowed to return to a normal life in Moscow.

The largest exile movement in the United States took place immediately following the American Revolution. Sixty thousand British loyalists, confronting real doubts about their lives, liberty, and potential happiness in the new republic, left the colonies and started over elsewhere in the British Empire. They took fifteen thousand enslaved people with them, bringing the total exodus to seventy-five thousand. This represented one in forty members of the American population. Based on the aggression they faced in the new nation, the decision to leave was far from a free choice.

A second example of a proposed large exile in America was an abject failure. Before and after the Civil War, some misinformed white Americans supported a “Back-To- Africa” movement designed to transport freed slaves to Liberia. Very few African Americans favored such an option. Less than 20,000 decided to return. Instead, a majority of Black Americans were determined to stay and support the abolitionist and later civil rights movements to obtain civic equality.

There are now few political circumstances that would force citizens to leave the United States. Nonetheless, according to VisaGuide.World, the number of Americans looking to live abroad jumped by 1,500 percent following Trump’s election. All of the internet travel sites reported increased inquiries from discouraged Americans researching the requirements for living in another country. The topic is being discussed by journalists and on blogs across America. While it is not known how many citizens will actually leave, the exploding interest in escaping America to become an expat is unmistakable.

There are several reasons why despondent Democrats are seeking to live abroad. First, threats supporting post-election political retribution were rampant. While campaigning, Trump consistently voiced the opinion that Democrats were the “enemy from within.” He has said, “They are so bad and frankly they’re evil.”  Moreover, never before had a presidential nominee openly suggested turning the military on Americans simply because they opposed his candidacy.

Second, many Americans are vigorously opposed to Trump’s proposed policy positions. They believe he will ratchet up the anti-democratic tendencies he exhibited four years ago and turn America into an authoritarian nation.

Third, in recent years several countries have become pleasant destinations for American expats with great weather and excellent medical facilities. These include Cost Rica, New Zealand, Portugal and other Southern European countries. Canada remains in the mix despite Trump’s taunting of Canadian officials that he will make it the 51^st state.

Personally, I agree with Cara Hoffman, a former expat, who recently wrote a guest essay for the New York Times. She believes that potential expats “should be imagining what it is they want instead of reacting to what they fear.”  Hoffman concludes that, “Would-be Trump expats should be aware that in this age of social media and American cultural dominance, there is little way to avoid the United States.”

The domestic political situation may indeed become uglier and more threatening. President Trump and his allies will no doubt cheer political opponents leaving the country. However, becoming an expat is not the answer.

There is another option that former exiles from Victor Hugo to Russian dissidents would find a better choice. Stay home and embrace the famous words of civil rights leader and Congressman John Lewis: “Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.”