"...the government contracts with a private company to build infrastructure and administer most public functions. Responsibilities like licensing, regulation, and taxation are all handled by the contracting company."
Reminds me of Sandy Springs, GA, except, of course, Sandy Springs is embedded in a larger set of preexisting institutions.
Good one. What I've read about Próspera and heard from friends who have been there made it sound as you've described: a glorified beach resort.
Regarding Hong Kong, have you read "Architect of Prosperity: Sir John Cowperthwaite and the Making of Hong Kong"? It's been sitting unread on my shelf, but I think it gets to your thesis that it's not just institutions.
“The solution? Section off a small part of a poor country and institute better rules there — this is the charter city idea.”
“In my view, the it’s-all-about-the-institutions story is probably correct, but incomplete.”
You make an interesting pair of points. At reading the first quote, I was skeptical — part of how people increase their income when they move from a poor to a wealthy place is because the wealthy place pays more for the same labor.
But then I read on.
The institutions story is indeed correct, but incomplete.
"...the government contracts with a private company to build infrastructure and administer most public functions. Responsibilities like licensing, regulation, and taxation are all handled by the contracting company."
Reminds me of Sandy Springs, GA, except, of course, Sandy Springs is embedded in a larger set of preexisting institutions.
Good one. What I've read about Próspera and heard from friends who have been there made it sound as you've described: a glorified beach resort.
Regarding Hong Kong, have you read "Architect of Prosperity: Sir John Cowperthwaite and the Making of Hong Kong"? It's been sitting unread on my shelf, but I think it gets to your thesis that it's not just institutions.
I haven't, but I think that's The Book that's been recommended to me by Cowperthwaite stans.
“The solution? Section off a small part of a poor country and institute better rules there — this is the charter city idea.”
“In my view, the it’s-all-about-the-institutions story is probably correct, but incomplete.”
You make an interesting pair of points. At reading the first quote, I was skeptical — part of how people increase their income when they move from a poor to a wealthy place is because the wealthy place pays more for the same labor.
But then I read on.
The institutions story is indeed correct, but incomplete.
As a writer, I appreciate you sticking it out till the end :)
This was a great read, I've heard of Prospera and it doesn't seem like a place I would want to live, Ciudad Morazán looks a lot more appealing 😂
Same. Próspera as SEZ-cum-beach resort is less interesting to me than something like Ciudad Morazán (more on that next week).