This conversation is closed.

Charter Cities under migrant government

Paul Romer's radical idea to build charter cities is very bold. I think the idea is right, but he cannot avoid the suspicion of neo-colonialism in the name of development and growth.

I have a idea, how to enhance his idea to make the concept more sustainable. The city government of the Charter Cities shall consist of representatives of international migrants and their local relatives. Why ? Because there is a track of literature that show the relationship between migration and trade.

The transnational migrants are the only suitable urban group for the city sovereignty because they are related to many cities and social spaces around the world through global media, travel, cultural, family and economic ties.

First step: All migrants shall get dual citizenship in residence and sending countries.

Second step: The city sovereignty is transfer to a city parliament which consists of migrants.

Third step: The parliament of the new charter cities hold an auction to distribute building rights, custom office etc among transnational corporations.

Fourth step: After a time of city establishment, the charter city parliament shall enhance its territory and demand from their country of origin the status of a special economic zone.

Fith step: All charter cities which are govern by international migrants shall meet in an assembly and talk about the formation of a free trade federation among charter cities, special economic zones. The role models in history are

* Athenian federation of Greek polis in the ancient times
* Hanseatic League in the middle age
* Italian city states

Sixth step: Reversing the Brain Drain

Step-by-step the citizenship is granted to further persons with priority to important occupation categories. Tax-incentives for knowledge-intensive ventures are use to attract the return of high-skilled migrants. A well managed migration regime regulate the population inflow of low-skilled migrants from the hinterland.

Seventh step: Re-Integration in the state