The West’s misconceptions about Africa are vast, particularly when it comes to the realm of business. Today we are joined by Dr. Deanne de Vries, who has worked across the continent in various capacities for over 30 years. She is currently an advisor for firms looking to enter the African market and is the author of Africa: Open for Business. In this episode, Deanne fills us in on the challenges and the exciting opportunities for doing business in Africa, sharing insights into the evolving tech and startup scenes. We discuss Africa's agricultural and manufacturing sectors, and Deanne breaks down what governments need to do to boost these industries. To hear about the community-centric focus of African business and to find out why on-the-ground integrated local presence is far more valuable than any data, tune in!Key Points From This Episode:•   The history of Deanne de Vries’ work in Africa.•   The ABC of learning to do business in unfamiliar territory: Appetite, Bandwidth, and Capital.•   The evolution of the African tech scene.•   The focus of Africa’s startup scene.•   The potential for French-speaking West Africa to rise in the tech sector.•   What governments can do to boost agricultural productivity in Africa.•   The importance of access to the market, in terms of agriculture.•   The challenges faced by Africa’s manufacturing industry.•   Why African business can’t be judged by statistics alone.•   The number one key to success for doing business in Africa.•   Deanne shares a case study to illustrate the importance of being on the ground.•   The potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area to promote business in Africa.•   The greatest Western misunderstandings about doing business in Africa.•   The challenge of data accuracy across Africa.•   What trumps data when it comes to doing business.•   The number one way to de-risk any deal in Africa.•   Deanne shares her chocolate chip cookie story.•   The impact of China's increasing presence across the continent.•   The influence of Turkey, Russia, and the UAE on Africa.•   How best to think about market entry in Africa.  Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Dr. Deanne de VriesDr. Deanne de Vries on LinkedInDr. Deanne de Vries on InstagramAfrica: Open for BusinessCharter Cities InstituteCharter Cities Institute on FacebookCharter Cities Institute on Twitter

If you’re a regular listener of this podcast you may be familiar with the term Special Economic Zone (SEZ). In short, SEZ refers to an area where business and trade laws are different from the rest of the country. Typically, these zones will have laws or legal codes and regulations that make it attractive for businesses to relocate there. Today on the show you’ll learn all about these zones and more as we sit down with Joseph McKinney, CEO of the Catawba Digital Economic Zone (DEZ), a new SEZ established by the Catawba nation based in the Carolinas. In our conversation, we break down the economic and philosophical objectives of the Catawba DEZ and its unique legal and regulatory frameworks as well as how this zone is integrated into tribal governance. We also discuss the Catawba DEZ’s special focus on FinTech, digital assets, advancing the digital economy, and why this gives them a competitive edge. Learn about the work they’re doing to explore physical infrastructure for data centers, supercomputers, and crypto mining, and why Joseph believes this has the most promising revenue-generating potential. Today’s episode takes a deep dive into SEZs and DEZs and breaks down how they can benefit indigenous people when implemented correctly, as well as what it takes to institute good governance. To learn more, make sure you tune in for key insights on this expansive and important topic! Key Points From This Episode: ●     Get to know today’s guest, Joseph McKinney, his background, and how he became CEO at Catawba Digital Economic Zone (DEZ).●     An overview of the Startup Societies Network and how it was founded.●     A breakdown of DEZs and how they work.●     The regulatory advantages of DEZs.●     The authority that Native Americans have within their states and how that applies to regulatory governance.●     How DEZs are creating a middle ground for tribal governance and regulation.●     How the Catawba tribe benefits from the DEZ in the Carolinas.●     Some of the physical infrastructure that they’re expecting to create, including data centers and supercomputers.●     An overview of how the Catawba Digital Economic Zone is creating regulatory certainty for Web3, crypto, blockchain, and fintech companies.●     How digital economic zones are expected to fit into existing trends within the tech industry.●     The most important value proposition made by the Catawba DEZ.●     Why this type of SEZ needs a combination of startup culture mobility, along with a secure foundation of good governance.●     How special economic zones are helping the United States improve its business environment.●     How the Catawba DEZ in the Carolinas, hopes to compete with Delaware. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Joseph McKinney on LinkedInStartup Societies NetworkCatawba Digital Economic ZoneForbes: This Indian Nation Is Setting Up A Special Economic Zone For Crypto, Fintech, Blockchain On Native LandFortune: Is the future of crypto regulation on tribal land?Coindesk: US Tribal Nation-Backed Economic Zone Passes Rules Defining Digital AssetsCharter Cities InstituteCharter Cities Institute on FacebookCharter Cities Institute on Twitter

Stefan Dercon is the author of Gambling on Development, in which he details his theory of the elite bargain framework for development in low-income countries. Stefan is a Professor of Economic Policy at the University of Oxford, and also serves as the Director of the Center for the Study of African Economies. Prior to his current academic posts, he has extensive experience in the world of policy, as the Chief Economist at the Department for International Development and as an advisor to the UK’s Foreign Secretary. In our conversation with Stefan in today's show, we get to delve deep into his elite bargain idea, the impact of effective altruism, the need for self-awareness within governments, and how far lessons from certain examples can be applied to other states. We also get to talk about political settlements and how his framework fits into the context of current popular theories and explanations for economic growth. So to catch all this and a whole lot more, be sure to listen in to this great chat with Stefan Dercon!Key Points From This Episode:•   Stefan's perspective on the different skills needed for policy implementation and idea generation.•   The challenges of communicating the need for policy experimentation to politicians.•   Some key ingredients to effective government meetings and common mistakes that Stefan has seen.•   Examples from Stefan of the kind of practical implementations he has seen used well in governance. •   Stefan shares some examples that underline his book's main thesis about successful development.•   An approach to determining a country's emerging development bargain.•   Our guest unpacks the three conditions for development bargains noted in his book.•   Why a certain model for development cannot be expected to have the same success in a different context.•   The impact that studying Asia later in his career has had on Stefan's frameworks and philosophy.•   Stefan talks about his findings on possible lessons from urbanization in China.•   Issues that Stefan has with the idea and terminology of political settlements.•   Contrasting Stefan's argument with the thesis of Why Nations Fail.•   Suggestions on how to motivate elites to engage and gamble on development.  •   Stefan's personal perspective on economic growth and its role in poverty alleviation. •   Why meaningful progress is dependent on a certain amount of risk. •   How Stefan would suggest spending money on growth interventions and lessons from Africa in the 1990s. •   What the situation in Sri Lanka right now teaches us about investment in people.•   The danger of consolidating authoritarianism in countries such as China and Rwanda.•   How the mobility of a burgeoning middle class can impact the development of a state. •   Stefan weighs in on the potential scalability problem in a technocracy.•   Some of Stefan's reflections on his time at DFID and its challenges.•   Looking to the horizon with Stefan and his forthcoming projects.  Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Stefan DerconGambling on DevelopmentStefan Dercon on TwitterUniversity of OxfordDepartment for International DevelopmentJustine GreeningRory StewartPaul CollierWarren BuffettMushtaq KhanWhy Nations FailLeonard WantchekonViolence and Social OrdersFrancis FukuyamaThe Narrow CorridorYuen Yuen AngLant PritchettChris BlattmanEsther DufloAngus DeatonNic CheesemanAmartya SenBarrington MooreDeng XiaopingCharter Cities InstituteCharter Cities Institute on FacebookCharter Cities Institute on Twitter

Development is one of the major challenges of our time. Unfortunately, it’s often approached in a way that does more harm than good. Efosa Ojomo has a better solution, and he’s here today to share it. Efosa is the leader of the Global Prosperity Research Group at the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation, the co-author of The Prosperity Paradox, and the author of the upcoming book, The Prosperity Process. In this episode, Efosa explains how his first foray in the development space (building wells in Nigeria) catalyzed a journey of discovery which led him to realize that, in order to truly change the world, we need to implement pull strategies instead of push strategies and focus on market creating innovations. He shares some examples of what these innovations look like and we discuss what it takes to be a market creating innovator, how regulation impacts innovation, a new way to think about corruption, and more! Make sure to tune in today. Key Points From This Episode: •  The lesson Efosa learned through his first foray in the development world.•  Definitions of the three types of innovation that Efosa and his co-authors explain in depth in their book, The Prosperity Paradox.•  Efosa shares the story of Mo Ibrhaim to highlight the power of market creating innovations.•  Push versus pull development strategies and the problem with the former.•  The story of Indomie Noodles as an example of the huge amount of change that can be made through the implementation of a pull strategy.•  How a proliferation of government agencies negatively impacts a country’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.•  The type of person who is best suited to be a leader in the market creating innovation space.•  Aid for developing countries: how the approach needs to change.•  Efosa explains why good laws are not enough to create thriving communities.•  Key factors that resulted in the rise and fall of Venice.•  How Efosa believes we should be tackling the issue of corruption.•  A tribute to Clayton Christenson.•  The Prosperity Process; Efosa’s future book.  Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Efosa OjomoEfosa Ojomo on TwitterGlobal Prosperity Research Group at the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive InnovationThe Prosperity ParadoxMo IbrahimGambling on DevelopmentYuen Yuen AngWhy Nations FailThe Innovator's DilemmaThe Innovator’s SolutionCharter Cities InstituteCharter Cities Institute on FacebookCharter Cities Institute on Twitter

Dr. Jared Rubin is the co-author of How the World Became Rich: The Historical Origins of Economic Growth, which he wrote with Mark Koyama, a previous guest on the podcast. We are so happy to welcome Jared to the show today to discuss the thesis of his book, and what he and Mark aimed to add to the literature on the subject of economic growth in the contemporary context. This is a fascinating and thoughtful conversation, packed with insight and nuance on important arguments of the past, what is needed to broaden and enhance our understanding of economic growth, and how far these projects might go towards enabling us to see a better future. Dr. Rubin answers some questions about geographic, legal, and technological explanations for growth, and stresses the importance of synergy and interplay between these theories for a more illuminating picture. So to hear all this and a whole lot more, including many reasons to pick up his latest book, tune in today! Key Points From This Episode: •   Introducing the role of culture in economic growth, and tracing the roots of this inquiry.•   Positioning How the World Became Rich in the lineage of literature on the subject of growth. •   Looking at England and the emergence of modern growth; arguments over the most important factors.•   Why Dr. Rubin tried to bring different theories into conversation through writing this book.•   Unpacking the argument for the role of liberal speech norms in the history of development, proposed by McCloskey.•   Technological progress and geographic endowments; why this relationship is worth exploration.•   Dr. Rubin's perspective on the role of law and legal systems in the growth trajectory of a country.•   Discussing the relative slowing of growth in the Western world and what this may mean.•   Dr. Rubin briefly comments on an argument for total factor productivity growth being linear.•   Thoughts on big picture topics through a micro lens.•   The lessons we can take from history for the most impactful policies for growth in the future.  Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Dr. Jared RubinChapman UniversityHow the World Became Rich: The Historical Origins of Economic GrowthDr. Jared Rubin on TwitterMark KoyamaCharter Cities Podcast Episode 16 with Mark KoyamaRobert LucasJoel MokyrCulture of GrowthJoe HenrichMax WeberThe Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of CapitalismGary BeckerCulture and the Evolutionary ProcessCormac Ó GrádaDeidre McCloskeyDeitrich VollrathFully GrownThomas PhilipponCharter Cities InstituteCharter Cities Institute on FacebookCharter Cities Institute on Twitter

Deborah Brautigam, a Sinologist-Africanist Professor, shares her perspective on China's development model in Africa. Topics discussed include the role of aid as a geopolitical instrument, differences between China and the West in infrastructure funding, sustainability and sovereignty, decline in Chinese infrastructure lending, and China's focus post-pandemic.

Dr. Linda Colley is a leading expert on British imperial and global history, among other topics in British history. Dr. Colley is the M.C. Davis 1958 Professor of History at Princeton University, here today to discuss her newly published book, The Gun, The Ship, and the Pen: Warfare, Constitutions and the Making of the Modern World, which explores the complex interrelationship between the rise of modern warfare and the rise of modern constitutionalism worldwide. After introducing Dr. Colley, and discussing the themes of her book, we launch into a conversation about what drove her to research and write about the topic of constitutions across the globe. Hear about the brief period during 1653 when Britain had its own constitution, before Dr. Colley unpacks the role of printing press technology and the spread of literacy, and explains why building the French navy helped the American revolutionaries, but not the French monarchy. We address Toussaint’s two purposes for the constitutions, which unfolds into a discussion about the extent to which constitutions are not just a domestic tool, but serve an international purpose, with Tunisia as one of our examples. Hear how Japan’s constitution has worked to concede certain rights for its people, learn about James Beale’s vision for governance and modernization, and much more. Tune in for an in-depth discussion on the ever-evolving role of this fascinating type of document today. Key Points From This Episode: •   Today’s guest, Dr. Linda Colley, expert on British imperial and global history.•   Themes explored in her newly published book, The Gun, The Ship, and the Pen.•   The brief period during 1653 when Britain had its own constitution.•   What moved her to write about global constitutions and their interpretations.•   The constitution drafted in Philadelphia in 1787’s role in influencing the rest of the globe.•   Mechanics of the relationship between war, revolution, and the emergence of constitutions.•   How the spread of literacy and printing presses facilitated codified constitutions.•   Why building the French navy helped the American revolutionaries, but not the French monarchy.•   Toussaint’s two purposes for the constitutions: to eradicate slavery in Haiti, and make it known to France that this is the case.•   The extent to which constitutions are not just a domestic tool, but a play for international legitimacy.•   Tunisia’s different approach to constitution making.•   How Japan’s constitution has worked to concede certain rights for its people.•   James Beale’s vision for governance and modernization.•   The evolution and plateau of the role and rights of women in society.•   Observing the link to the pressures of war within global constitutions.•   How Thomas Paine’s military service impacted his views, and how actual military service influences constitution makers in general.•   Catherine the Great in Russia and Bolivar in South America, and their constitutional influence.•   Tacit borrowings from the British model, and ultra-plagiarism in Norway.•   The best practices approach that can be pulled from all of these methods.•   How constant borrowing results in a final text that is distinct for each entity.•   Why the average duration of written constitutions is only 18 years and what that means.•   Why many constitutions within a country is not a failure, with South America as an example.•   The evolving aims and roles of constitutions and how they are being introduced.•   How the digital world influences constitutionalism across the globe.  Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: The Gun, The Ship, and the Pen: Warfare, Constitutions and the Making of the Modern WorldLinda ColleyLinda Colley on EmailLinda Colley on LinkedInCharter Cities InstituteCharter Cities Institute on FacebookCharter Cities Institute on Twitter

Today’s episode is a bonus episode, where we take a deep dive into the Italian Renaissance (with a focus on Venice) with world-renowned expert, Professor Corey Tazzara. From the fall of the Roman Empire to the formation of independent city-states, to the financial and political ramifications of the crusades, to the rise and fall of Venice as an economic powerhouse, this conversation has it all! We start at the beginning, with a comment on the role of the Middle Ages in the formation of society as it is today, and how the literature of the times contributed to the maintenance of the Roman Empire as a power. Despite this, there was decentralization across Europe in the 800s, and independent city-states arose. Rome regained its power from tourism and through regaining the seat of the papacy, while Florence formed the birthplace of the Renaissance through its art, culture, and adoption of investment banking. Milan became an authoritarian state, and we hear how the condottieri contributed to this. Unexpectedly, Genoa gained wealth in the loss of the War of Chioggia, while Venice was created from the marshes by refugees. The focus of the conversation shifts to the role of Venice in the Renaissance, and how it influenced society as we see it today. We learn how venture capital was created to profit from the Crusades, and how links to other cultures and societies benefitted the trade between Venice and the rest of Europe and the Middle East. Tune in to find out how the Venice of today differs from the Renaissance era Venice, and so much more, in this incredible discussion! Key Points From This Episode: •   Welcome to Corey Tazzara, professor of history at Scripps College and the world’s leading expert on medieval and early modern freeports.•   Background into the decentralization of the Roman Empire, and why we owe today’s society to the Middle Ages.•   How the literature of the Middle ages maintains the Roman Empire’s power.•   The formation of independent city-states across Europe, and how they worked.•   The role of the papacy in reviving Roman law.•   What the 12th Century Renaissance is, and how it impacted the European economy.•   How the crusades altered the trade done at the port city-states: sea vs land travel.•   Why the Fourth Crusade was the first example of venture capital.•   The radical democracies that started in the Byzantine era across Italy.•   A quick tour of the major houses at play across the city-states in the 1300s.•   The revival of Rome: from the center of an empire to a tourism hotspot.•   How Florence became a republic, and why Corey feels it is the birthplace of the Renaissance.•   Why the adoption of investment banking fueled Florence’s prosperity and the rise of the Medici family.•   Turning to Genoa: how the loss of the War of Chioggia lead to the gain of Western wealth in the centuries to come.•   The role of the condottieri in Milan’s authoritarian government and war-based economy.•   Who Francesco Sforza was, and how he served as an example of the dangers of the condottieri to political powers.•   A few honorable mentions of other city-states that had tumultuous histories throughout the Renaissance.•   The formation of Venice: how it was formed, and why its history is so different from other city-states.•   The story of St. Mark’s remains, why Mussolini hated the church of San Marco, and what these anecdotes say about Venice.•   Why Venice is the birthplace of investment banking and its role in the Fourth Crusade.•   How making Venice the gateway to the Levant drove up profit and Venetians who changed the world.•   A summary of the corporatist society underpinning Venetian finance.•   Why Venice can be likened to the North Korea of Renaissance Italy, and the roles of family ties in broadening its reach.•   How Venice became a cultural melting pot (relatively speaking) in the Middle Ages.•   The American pioneers of capitalism who were inspired by the Renaissance era of Venice.•   The end of the Italian Renaissance: the external and internal factors that contributed to its decline.•   Why shifting its focus to tourism in the 16th and 17th centuries was key to Venice's ongoing prosperity, and why it became so popular with Western tourists.•   Corey’s research into free ports in the Italian Renaissance: a teaser for the next discussion!   Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Corey TazzaraCorey Tazzara EmailCorey Tazzara on Google ScholarVenice: A New HistoryThe DecameronErik Prince TitlesCharter Cities InstituteCharter Cities Institute on FacebookCharter Cities Institute on Twitter

The Ukraine-Russia conflict has dominated headlines over the past few months, with countless theories and hypotheses being touted to explain Russia’s aggression. Join us as we talk to one of the world’s leading experts on violence and politics, Professor Chris Blattman. We start the episode with an explanation of why Chris chose to write his latest book Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace, and how he can apply the logic within to explain Putin's motivations and behavior. We learn why peace is a better driver for innovation and competition than war, and what Chris feels about the controversial observations made by John Mearsheimer about the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Tune in to learn what the George Washington example is, and the role of the COVID-19 pandemic in the rising levels of violence within the USA. We next move on to the role of CBT in reducing violence across the globe, with some insightful examples of Mr. Rogers-like personas across Africa who Chris has worked with. This episode is jam-packed with tons of fascinating insights into current affairs, how to best tackle poverty, theoretical debate and so much more. Join us today as we talk to a true role model and thought leader on another episode of the Charter Cities podcast. Key Points From This Episode: •   An introduction to Chris Blattman, author, economist, political scientist, expert on violence, and seasoned peacebuilder.•   The inspiration behind why Chris wrote Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace.•   Chris’s response to John Mearsheimer’s observations on the Ukraine-Russia conflict.•   Why Chris is content that his book was published before Russia invaded Ukraine.•   The five logics of war applied to the Ukraine-Russia conflict: unchecked interests, intangible incentives, uncertainty, commitment problems, and misperceptions.•   Why Chris feels that peace drives competition and innovation better than war.•   The George Washington example: what it means and how it can be applied to other situations.•   Why Chris is interested in applying Machiavellian logic to his research and blogging.•   How the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted levels of violence within the USA, and why.•   Why the Mr. Rogers principle is so effective, and examples Chris has come across in other countries.•   CBT and how it can be applied to reduce poverty.•   The monetary values associated with CBT across different cultures.•   Why oversimplifying complex problems is bad for the solution, and why including locals in the solution is key to success.•   An example of one of Chris’ RCTs that failed!•   Why Chris feels that he might have had a larger impact on society if he had moved into consulting in Africa.•   The factors that helped to make the Harris School the success it is today.•   Why Chris thinks giving cash is more effective at reducing poverty than other interventions.•   How decentralizing power will be the ultimate solution to poverty.•   Chris’s thoughts on the Charter Cities Institute and goals.•   Where Chris is now, and the issues he will be researching in the next five years.   Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Chris Blattman on LinkedInChris BlattmanWhy We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to PeaceThe Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has DeclinedCharles Tilley on LinkedInJohn McCormick on LinkedInInclusive Economy LabAnti-Politics Machine: Development, Depoliticization, and Bureaucratic Power in LesothoGambling on Development: Why Some Countries Win and Others LoseEconlib: Chris Blattman on Chickens, Cash, and Development EconomicsNic Blum on LinkedInMichael KremerDaniel Diermeier on LinkedInBill Gates wants to give the poor chickens. What they need is cashGiveDirectlyInternational Rescue CommitteeInternational Crisis GroupHuman Rights WatchMedecins Sans FrontieresBellingcatInternational Republican InstituteNational Democratic InstituteThe Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir PutinCities and the Wealth of Nations: Principles of Economic LifeCharter Cities InstituteCharter Cities Institute on FacebookCharter Cities Institute on Twitter

In order to build the cities of the future, there is a need for synergy between a number of elements and institutions and, as philanthropy evolves with the times, an active approach to impacting the necessary changes means an understanding of these sometimes disparate forces. Joining us on the show today to discuss his philanthropic philosophy and plans is the Founder of GitLab, Sid Sijbrandij. Sid is also a supporter of the Charter Cities Institute while occupying an active role in the nutrition, software, crypto, and non-profits spaces. Today, he generously shares his thoughts on what is needed right now in order to push things forward for the next generation of cities. We discuss GitLab’s approach to helping Ukraine and their contingent of employees who live in the country and we touch on what needs attention in the longer term, especially with regards to bridging gaps between separate industries or institutions for shared benefit before Sid shares his thoughts on how AI will influence philanthropy in the coming years and what he hopes to see in the cities of the future. To hear all this and much more from a very special guest, join us on Seeding the Future!Key Points From This Episode:•   GitLab's current focus on helping Ukraine and its employees stationed there.•   The role of new technology in providing aid for Ukraine.•   Motivations for Sid's philanthropy and how he frames his efforts. •   Creative opportunities presented by remote work and new cities.•   Considering the different avenues through which Sid explores impacting positive change.•   Sid's thoughts on where new wealth might go and how innovation can lead to impact.•   Areas that could be improved upon; bringing together wisdom from different spaces.   •   The things that Sid looks for when assessing a new team or organization to work with.•   AI and philanthropy in the 21st century; Sid weighs in on where we are headed. •   What happens when money transfers between generations and how it impacts philanthropy.•   Sid's predictions about the geography of wealth and giving.•   Transparency and opinions in a big company; why Sid stands by this model.•   Amenities that Sid values in the charter cities of the future.•   Factors that would have a positive influence on philanthropic involvement in charter cities. •   The excitement that Sid holds for longer-term projects. •   Important questions in the discussion on the future of philanthropy.•   Balancing the roles of the state and philanthropic institutions for public goods. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Sid Sijbrandij on TwitterGitLabGiveWellJohn ArnoldLionsRotaryBanksyCaroline WhistlerThird SectorCharter Cities Institute