07-05-2025
Is It Colonialism When Europeans Retire in Cheaper Countries?
I see many older Northern Europeans retiring to countries like Portugal or Morocco. And I know that some Americans are doing the same in Latin America. Is it fair to enjoy a different country's sun and cheaper living in retirement, or is this a new, sweet form of colonialism? — Taimaz Szirniks
From the Ethicist:
'Colonialism,' historically, happened when a state took over another territory, typically by force or fiat. It's a story about domination backed by state power.
When individuals retire abroad, though, they settle with the host government's consent, not a cannon. Societies have the right to decide whom they admit, within moral and legal bounds. International law protects refugees fleeing persecution, and decent nations avoid unfair discrimination or the splitting up of families. Beyond that, controlling residency and citizenship is a core piece of national sovereignty.
What these Northern Europeans are doing isn't colonialism; it's migration with permission. Retirees chasing a lower cost of living are simply doing transnationally what many do locally — moving where their resources stretch further, like Bostonians heading to Florida for sun and savings.
