This reminds me of the ancient greek political philosophy arguments for the city-state republic as the primary form that government should be, for example Aristotle.[1]
Megacities, not nations, are the world’s dominant, enduring social structures
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Re: Megacities, not nations, are the world’s dominant, enduring social structures
#32Italy seems a good example. Merchant cities that have stood alone for centuries, tolerating whatever ruling clan or invaders happen to be laying claim. Italy as a nation is basically a manufactured concept around these mini city states.
Re: Megacities, not nations, are the world’s dominant, enduring social structures
#33Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's a very insightful thought. I do find it interesting how people are coming to the idea that local governments are where new ideas are formed, but degrade the concepts of States' rights or smaller federal intervention as racism whenever it doesn't suit a liberal agenda.
Because "States' rights" has historically been used as a dog-whistle for racism, segregation, and voter suppression. Moreover, the article is referring to city/local government which is different from the state. I don't see how conflating local innovation with state oppression is a liberal agenda. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States%27_rights#States.27_rig...
used as a dog-whistle
Such an overloaded term. It is also used to mean "something only some can hear, but I can't."
States have also been a source of innovation. California, Oregon, and Washington were noted as "bellwether" states, whose pioneering policies were sometimes adopted by other states. California's pollution/vehicular laws have been a force for positive change and innovation in the auto industry.
Re: Megacities, not nations, are the world’s dominant, enduring social structures
#34Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Most public transport subsidies go to the capital Most public transport revenue also comes from the capital. While literally millions of London's commuters pay thousands of dollars a year each for the privilege of being herded into overfilled cattle cars twice a day, Welsh/Scots/Northerners don't actually use the public transport they demand and hence it runs at a massive loss until it inevitably gets shutdown yet…
> Most public transport revenue also comes from the capital This is incorrect. 40% of 'Transport for London' (TfL) spending comes from fares, and approx. 27% from government [0]. That represents a real cash subsidy of £3.1B per year for londoners. The disparity in infrastructure spending per resident is even more stark [1]. London receives more than half of all such spending in England despite containing less than a…
That's a reasonable argument because roads have zero subsidies. Wait, no.
The real issue is does London pay more or less in taxes for transportation than it receives in transportation projects. Considering the population and relative income of London it ends up subsidizing the rest of the UK.
Re: Megacities, not nations, are the world’s dominant, enduring social structures
#35Article contains almost no data, no information to speak of to confirm its title. Instead it goes off and asserts the authors opinions and political views as facts. Perhaps it is intended to be an opinion piece, but the title is that of a PR message accompanying the release of a research paper.
It seems mostly like an advertisement for some guy's book, which is also mostly an opinion piece.
Re: Megacities, not nations, are the world’s dominant, enduring social structures
#36Earlier quoted context omitted.
Any region which isn't urban is, basically, Incapable of adaptation. It is totally beholden to the natural resources it has. Fertile soil? Shale oils? Nice beaches? Forests? The environment you have basically fixes your destiny. A government presiding over a rural area basically has to become like a corporation whose sole purpose is stewardship and exploitation of that natural resource. Whereas cities are human const…
That's a very insightful thought. I do find it interesting how people are coming to the idea that local governments are where new ideas are formed, but degrade the concepts of States' rights or smaller federal intervention as racism whenever it doesn't suit a liberal agenda.
Can you expand on your thoughts? I see "state's rights" as a call to get supporters when the state might do something that someone wants, and there's no real substance or distinguishing feature that lets us understand what is or is not a state right. It just appears to be a way to justify doing what you want. If you don't want something to happen, then you claim something is not a state right.
Re: Megacities, not nations, are the world’s dominant, enduring social structures
#37Circles in circles is a terrible chart. Humans have a very difficult time comparing relative areas of circles. Much better would be to add a separate bar chart comparing all the countries and each bar separated into stripes for the city vs total. Perhaps on a log scale. The chart they made might be more beautiful, but it's less informative.
> Humans have a very difficult time comparing relative areas of circles.
Area ~ diameter^2 so ...
But maybe too abstract.
Re: Megacities, not nations, are the world’s dominant, enduring social structures
#38Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's a very insightful thought. I do find it interesting how people are coming to the idea that local governments are where new ideas are formed, but degrade the concepts of States' rights or smaller federal intervention as racism whenever it doesn't suit a liberal agenda.
Can you expand on your thoughts? I see "state's rights" as a call to get supporters when the state might do something that someone wants, and there's no real substance or distinguishing feature that lets us understand what is or is not a state right. It just appears to be a way to justify doing what you want. If you don't want something to happen, then you claim something is not a state right.
They're talking about American politics. "State" is referring to the 50 cosovereign subdivisions of the United States. "State's rights" refers to politics that defends the rights of states, rather than the national (aka federal) government, to set policy in certain areas.
Re: Megacities, not nations, are the world’s dominant, enduring social structures
#39Circles in circles is a terrible chart. Humans have a very difficult time comparing relative areas of circles. Much better would be to add a separate bar chart comparing all the countries and each bar separated into stripes for the city vs total. Perhaps on a log scale. The chart they made might be more beautiful, but it's less informative.
> Humans have a very difficult time comparing relative areas of circles. Area ~ diameter^2 so ... But maybe too abstract.
When you are talking about comparing charts, I think he means visually, not mathematically.
Re: Megacities, not nations, are the world’s dominant, enduring social structures
#40Michael Bloomberg wrote an article in Foreign Affairs saying that cities are now the centers of public policy innovation, in part because state and Federal governments are either controlled or blocked by people who want no policy and no innovation. https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/2015-08-18/city-cent... My anecdotal, off-the-top-of-my-head memories bear that out: Almost all innovative policy, from biking to f…
I am curious how this contrasts with the increasing freedom of movement -- people are increasingly able to pick and choose which city to live in. One of the greatest 'anchors' holding an individual or a family to a city is cost, so what happens when that cost is reduced to the bare minimum? Would we see the migration to urban centers accelerate (eg: Chicago holding >50% of Illinois' population rather than the current…
It was my understanding regionalism in Europe was to have a similar effect as more power was being devolved to local public institutions.