The economic logic of migration often seems more compelling when it doesn’t involve crossing national borders. In 1980s Britain, with recession affecting some of the country’s regions more than others, employment minister Norman Tebbit implied – or was widely taken to be implying – that the jobless should ‘get on their bikes’ to look for work. How much might global economic output rise if anyone could get on their bikes to work anywhere? Some economists have calculated it would double
