Charter Cities Podcast

Host Jeffrey Mason welcomes esteemed guests Martin Rama and Yue Li to another enthralling episode of Charter Cities. Together, they embark on a deep exploration of the intriguing world of private cities, delving into their impact on urban agglomerations and the delicate interplay with local governments. Tune in today to hear their insights on the successes and challenges that private cities face, as well as the potentials that lie ahead. Through engaging discussions and vivid examples, our hosts and guests will illustrate the multifaceted landscape of private urban development. Martin and Yue share their perspectives on how private actors are reshaping urban environments and the intricate dynamics that govern these relationships. As our episode unfolds, the conversation navigates the complexities of urban development, revealing the key facts and insights surrounding this captivating subject. Thanks for listening!Key Points From This Episode:The significance of private cities as major urban agglomerations with political constituenciesThe push for a voice and a shift towards traditional cities as the population growsResistance against converting successful private cities into traditional onesStrategic underinvestment by private actors in services, relying on government provisionEvolution of institutions between private actors and local governmentsDesigning private cities to offer improved services and environmentsWillingness of residents and firms to pay a premium for landBenefits for developers or companies through increased land valueExploration of different private city models and demographic focusesA historical look at private cities and their reemergence in modern timesExamples of private cities in both advanced and developing countriesAn overview of private cities and their types in various countriesFocus on initial research in South Asia, including India and PakistanIndonesia's status as the country with the highest number of private citiesCategorization into company towns, strategic cities, and mixed citiesPrevalence of strategic cities in Indonesia, with some in IndiaAn analysis of economic activities and government support in private citiesVarious economic activities spearheaded by the private sectorEfforts to seek favorable treatment from the governmentThe role of special economic zones and infrastructure supportStrategies to attract specific industries and investorsThe urgent need for empirical research on economic dynamics and inequalityTentative conclusions and a call for further researchDefinitions and challenges associated with private citiesContradictions with typical city governance run by local governmentThe leading role played by private actors in planning, financing, and service operationChallenging but not new conventional notions of city governancePublic-private partnerships (PPPs) in private city governanceTopological studies, inventories, and governance evolution within private citiesVariations in roles and functions between the private sector and local governmentLand value capture and equity issues in private city developmentThe viability and underinvestment associated with value capture limitationsCreative equity solutions, such as preserving original residents or project sharesExploration of alternative value recovery and fairness mechanismsThe challenges faced by local governments in designing effective value capture strategiesLinks Mentioned in Today’s Episode:The Asian Infrastructure Investment BankMartin Rama on The World BankMartin Rama on LinkedInCharter Cities InstituteCharter Cities Institute on FacebookCharter Cities Institute on Twitter

Charter Cities Institute Founder and Chairman Mark Lutter returns to the podcast to share his perspective on network states, charter city trends, and more. Mark is also the CEO of Braavos Cities, a charter city development company partnering with local landowners and a leading organizer of Zuzalu, a new pop-up city in Montenegro. Tune in today to hear Mark’s insights on existing network states and why they have either succeeded or failed. You’ll also learn about some of the challenges associated with attracting appropriate talent to cities in order to facilitate growth. Mark shares his experience at Zuzalu and describes the flat hierarchical structure that was made possible there. Using the metaphor of gardening instead of carpentry, Mark illustrates his unique approach to building network cities. Hear how Mark differs from others in the charter city space on the matter of location and his analysis of the global response to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. As our episode draws to a close, Mark reveals his thoughts on restarting struggling economies, finding buy-in from local government, and more. Thanks for listening!Key Points From This Episode:An introduction to today’s episode with CCI Founder and Chairman Mark Lutter. What Zuzali is and how it came together with reference to Vitalik Buterin and Balaji Srinivasan.Defining the terms ‘pop up city’, ‘pop up village’, and ‘network state’. How the historical failures of network-type states influence Mark’s feelings.Examining the examples of Israel, Utah, Salt Lake City, and Jonestown.Considering why San Francisco is especially susceptible to cults.Why Mark returned from Montenegro and Zuzalu with optimism for network states.How the internet can behave as a giant sorting mechanism.His predictions for how sorting mechanisms will change in the future.The problem of attracting appropriate talent to cities. Why Montenegro was the chosen location for Zuzalu. Building Zuzalu whilst building local relationships.The role of the host government in the success of Zuzalu. Where the name Zuzalu came from.Flat status hierarchies in network cities and other agglomerates.How they managed to sustain a flat hierarchy at Zuzalu. What it means to think like a gardener and not a carpenter.What Braavos Cities is and what it aims to do.Where Mark differs from other folks in the charter city space on the matter of location.Two migration patterns to tap into. The greatest successes of the COVID-19 pandemic and what could have been adopted instead.Distinguishing between Charter Cities Institute and Braavos Cities.Restarting an economy through leveraging comparative advantage.Getting buy-in from local government.Job creation and investment. The Zanzibar project that Mark is excited about at the moment.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Mark LutterMark Lutter on TwitterMark Lutter on MediumMark Lutter EmailBraavos CitiesZuzaluVitalik ButerinBalaji SrinivasanVictoria Harbor GroupScott Alexander on InstagramTyler Cowen on TwitterCharter Cities InstituteCharter Cities Institute on FacebookCharter Cities Institute on Twitter

Industrialization has a myriad of consequences that have been studied and speculated upon from the very start. In this episode, Dr. Elliott Green joins us to discuss the impact of industrialization on ethnic identity and diversity. Dr. Green is a political scientist, Africanist, and associate professor in the Department of International Development at The London School of Economics. He is also the author of the book Industrialization and Assimilation and today, we learn about his research and insights on the topic. We delve into the Marx-Geller take on industrialization and find out how Dr. Green conceptualizes it and why he promotes pro-industrialization. We discuss the implications of urbanization without industrialization in Africa and how people use their rural identities as insurance against de-urbanization before investigating the cause of “under-urbanization” in countries like Kenya and Uganda. From the measures of industrialization and its relationship to economic growth and identity formation to the effect of decentralization on assimilation, Dr. Green tackles it all! Tune in for this insightful conversation on all things industrialization and identity.Key Points From This Episode:•   Introducing political scientist and Africanist, Dr. Elliott Green•   The topic investigated in his book Industrialization and Assimilation: the consequence of Industrialization in terms of ethnic diversity.•   How Dr. Green’s take on industrialization differs from that of Marx and Geller.•   Why we have differing levels of ethnic diversity across the world.•   The implications of urbanization without industrialization in Africa.•   Cases of de-urbanization in Africa and how people use their rural identities as insurance against it.•   Which African regions have the highest and lowest levels of urbanization.•   What can be attributed to the “under-urbanization” of countries like Kenya and Uganda.•   Why Dr. Green promotes pro-industrialization and how he conceptualizes industrialization.•   The relationship between economic growth and industrialization.•   Other measures of industrialization.•   How industrialization generates broader processes of identity formation, irrespective of politics and religion.•   The overlap of religious and ethnic identities in 20th century Turkey.•   Instances where industrialization and nation-building do and don’t go hand in hand.•   Government attempts to create ethnically neutral cities.•   Why trust is essential for development.•   Dr. Green’s take on the “markets make us moral” hypothesis.•   To what extent decentralization can affect assimilation or ethnic change.•   How the “completion” of industrialization will (or won’t) impact identity.  Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Dr. Elliott GreenIndustrialization and AssimilationHa-Joon ChangMagnetic Mountain: Stalinism as a CivilizationNations, States, and ViolenceCharter Cities InstituteCharter Cities Institute on FacebookCharter Cities Institute on Twitter

We are joined on the show today by Joe McReynolds, co-author of Emergent Tokyo: Designing the Spontaneous City, and we have an extensive conversation about the characteristics of Tokyo urbanism, the role of policy in the city, lessons that may be applied to charter cities, and also some of Joe's thoughts on China's current military capabilities. Joe makes a strong argument for avoiding culturally essentialist understandings of Tokyo, and also plots how the history of Tokyo eschews western understandings of urban planning strategies. We touch on the nature of Tokyo neighborhoods, rental and ownership, greenery and beautification, and much more. To finish off this fascinating chat, we turn to Joe's interest and involvement in Chinese affairs and reflect on the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on China's ambitions. So to catch all this and more in this lively and eye-opening chat with Joe, press play!Key Points From This Episode:•   A look at Joe's two areas of expertise; urbanism in Tokyo and Chinese National security. •   Joe unpacks the different forms of relevant urbanism.•   The complexity of Tokyo's urbanism and how it stretches typical western paradigms.•   The influence of policy and design on Tokyo and its neighborhoods.•   Norms around housing, upkeep, and building standards in Tokyo.•   Ownership and renting; Joe talks about the importance of landlords in Tokyo.•   Shinto practices and the traditions that subtly bind neighborhood communities.•   Tokyo residents' attitudes towards the external impacts on individual lifestyles.•   Joe's thoughts on greenery in Tokyo.•   Lessons from Tokyo for charter cities and Joe's passion for these projects. •   The impact of international restrictions on semiconductor exports to China.•   Exploring the example that Russia's war with Ukraine is setting for China.•   Joe talks a little bit about Ephemerisle and its representation of competitive governance.  Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Joe McReynoldsJoe McReynolds on TwitterEmergent Tokyo: Designing the Spontaneous CityChina's Evolving Military StrategyKeio UniversityThe Jamestown FoundationEphemerisleJeffrey MasonKurtis LockhartCharter Cities InstituteCharter Cities Institute on FacebookCharter Cities Institute on Twitter

What do high education and low fertility rates have in common? According to today’s guest, Charlie Robertson, they are both positively correlated with economic growth. In today’s episode, Charlie shares the reasons why he believes that countries that don’t get their fertility rates down to below 3 children per woman and those that don’t have adult literacy rates above 70% are doomed to remain trapped in poverty. Join us for a round-the-world trip where Charlie delves into the history of South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the West, and offers his explanation for why some countries have flourished while others have floundered. Charlie is the Global Chief Economist at Renaissance Capital and the author of The Fastest Billion and The Time-Travelling Economist. Key Points From This Episode: •   Understanding economic trends in Africa over the past few years.•   Factors that lead to the creation of urban slums.•   Charlie’s hypothesis on the link between fertility and economic growth.•   What Charlie sees as the optimal fertility rate.•   Basic adult literacy rates in Sub-Saharan African countries when they were decolonized.•   A statistic that highlights the progress that has been made on the education front globally.•   Why education is imperative for growth.•   The correlation between education and fertility.•   The importance of correctly sequencing educational priorities.•   An explanation of the economic success being experienced in the Philippines.•   Comparing the rate of economic growth in India and China.•   Reasons why Pakistan hasn’t kept up with India’s levels of economic growth.•   Explaining Sri Lanka’s downfall.•   Charlie’s thoughts on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.•   The energy financing issues facing African countries.•   Challenges of using green energy as a baseload power source.•   Why Charlie believes governments should be focusing on providing electricity to factories rather than homes.•   Benefits of decentralized energy systems.•   The potential of municipal-level financing approaches. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Charlie Robertson on LinkedInRenaissance CapitalThe Fastest BillionThe Time-Travelling EconomistCharter Cities InstituteCharter Cities Institute on FacebookCharter Cities Institute on Twitter

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