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The idea of starting fresh, designing the governance from scratch, is probably my biggest fantasy. I'm on the lookout to join such an effort, after kids move out...but needs to have an altruistic economic model.
If I had maybe 10 million more than I need for financial independence, I would buy 200 acres in the middle of nowhere, and give away 200 year leases on 200 acres to ~1000 deserving homesteading families.
The only thing stopping this plan, is the property tax bill, and the missing $10M.
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Honduras was a perfect example of why charter cities don't work.
Long before your city (like Prospera) can grow to any size, the host state's government is going to change hands to a political enemy of the people who let you in... In Honduras it changed hands from a freedom-loving liberal government to an actual Communist named Castro! & Now she's made it her life's mission to remove all those horrible expat libertarians from her land, revoking Prospera's EEZ and setting her country against them all.
I certainly wouldn't feel safe living there today. How can that economy grow?
States just don't sell their sovereignty over land, period. The rare cases like Hong Kong and Singapore that were successful were always temporary situations made from an Occupier with a more liberal mindset. I truly feel sorry for those living in HK today under Beijing's full rule.
So as far as I'm concerned, Charter cities are all doomed by their very concept. To believe in them, you have to be naive enough to believe that the state that grants you the land will keep it's word and so will all of it's future rulers. That's just retarded.
That's why I'm a seasteader. Making new land is the only way to go.
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10 sats \ 1 reply \ @gd 18 Feb
Seems like the biggest downside- seeking permission to be sovereign rarely works for long.
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& it's not sovereignty in the first place. Host countries are still counting on the fact that they'll get to tax you one day, if not from the start. They still demand that their legal structure is applied to your city.
States simply DO NOT sell sovereignty. If you think you've found a historical example otherwise, look again. It's never full sovereignty.
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @398ja 18 Feb
I am fascinated by the concepts of charter cities and seasteading. I actually firmly believe that the former, if implemented correctly, could help solve the migrant crisis and provide an economic boost to empoverished regions in Africa.
The more of them we have around the world the better. A country revoking an agreement would make the other charter cities more valuable.
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100% of charter cities are doomed within a decade for reasons I've posted above.
A charter city becoming "more valuable" does not add to it's defense against the host state. If anything, the charter city becoming more valuable makes it MORE ATTRACTIVE to be plundered by the host state.
Think about it this way: if you were a commie tin-pot dictator and your formal political rival gave a bunch of undesirables (in your opinion) some land to make a community out of, but then suddenly those undesirables became really rich, what would you do?
You'd pillage them as much as you possibly could. That's exactly what you'd do.
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Summary I made using the CASCDR YouTube Agent:
  • The Industrial Revolution marked a turning point in human history, leading to significant economic growth and improvements in living standards for millions of people.
  • Economic development, driven by technological advancements, plays a crucial role in reducing poverty and improving quality of life in low-income countries.
  • The quality of a country's institutions, such as the court system, government efficiency, and security of investments, is a key factor in promoting development and reducing poverty.
  • Charter cities, proposed by economist Paul Romer, offer a unique approach to development by creating new cities with innovative legal systems and institutions to stimulate economic growth.
  • Charter cities have the potential to inspire national reforms, promote governance competition, and experiment with new policies that could benefit not only residents but also the broader society.
  • While charter cities face challenges in implementation and political feasibility, successful projects could have a transformative impact on global governance and economic growth.
  • Examples like Itana in Nigeria demonstrate how charter cities can address specific challenges, such as infrastructure development and business regulations, to attract talent and foster innovation.
  • The rapid urbanization trend in many countries highlights the need for new approaches to city planning and infrastructure development, making charter cities a potential solution to support sustainable growth.
  • The Charter Cities Institute conducts research and provides resources to support the development of charter cities, offering insights into legal frameworks and best practices for successful projects.
  • The concept of charter cities, while untested and unconventional, has the potential to revolutionize governance and economic development, paving the way for a more prosperous and equitable future.
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Most don't care enough to learn how things are broken. Leaving them powerless to fix or change things for the better.
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @gd 17 Feb
Cool! I didn't know that this stuff was actually going on.
I've been pretty fascinated by the ancient "city state" idea for a while, and of course the "citadel" concept that is talked about frequently.
Do you think these societies always have to be based on physical proximity?
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Not at all.
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