Free Global Cities: Governance and Prosperity

In the 21^st century, it is necessary to look at new ways of organising the way we live.

Many ideas about human rights and contemporary institutions seem to fall short of fully preserving rights for individuals whose states do not do so or for individuals who do not have a state.¹ Situations for migrants and refugees are typically harsh and unpredictable, and in reality, they hardly ever enjoy their human rights fully or securely.²

At the global level, a new institutional order has to be created. David Held emphasises that ‘we can no longer govern the world on the model of historical power from the 16^th century to the end of the 20^th century.’³ The current international order is changing, and if we want institutions that can govern in the interests of humanity as a whole, we must ‘build a fairer global and more sustainable world order.’⁴

According to recent surveys, regardless of who is in power, a vast majority of the citizens of Western countries are dissatisfied with their government. More and more individuals believe that, apart from voting every few years, they have no control over what happens in government or how their tax money is used. The tax burden and government debt are generally increasing, and at the same time infrastructure, public security and education are often considered insufficient.⁵

There are significant studies that show that many public services should be privatised. However, this is very difficult to do within any existing system. The concept of Free Global Cities represents an opportunity to create a new administration and legal framework that is much more efficient from the outset.

The establishment of such autonomous cities results in reforms that strengthen freedom and self-determination and improve living conditions.⁶ Free Global Cities are self-governed, autonomous subnational entities that provide a safe environment, and rule of law, and that will create wealth and prosperity for their citizens as well as for the nations hosting them. This is also to be viewed in the light of the ongoing global trend of urbanisation remaining strong and unrelenting. Most people prefer city life over rural living, a preference that reflects market dynamics. This leads to the question of what the cities of tomorrow will look like, as they will become even more the focal points of future societies citizenship and human rights.⁷ Free Global Cities represent the cities of the future.

The concept of citizenship in Free Global Cities

Privately organised cities are generally better, cheaper and freer than existing state models, and this concept is becoming a new trend in 21^st-century urban development. Private cities, like special economic zones,⁸ generally have their own sets of rules which often run alongside to the laws of the nations they are geographically located within.⁹

However, our idea of a global autonomous city is primarily based on a humanitarian angle and mainly refers to a safe place for refugees who had to leave their homes and are forced to start a new life somewhere else. The Free Global City aims to be an attractive place for people to live, to be free in a new place they can call home, and to fundamentally unleash human potential.

Today’s world is increasingly dominated by the fragility of  democratic nation states, escalating violent conflicts, mass migration, and climate change.

The concept behind autonomous cities is to forge a new connection between citizens and the state that is more secure, and because it is contract-based, more effective, provides better services and brings prosperity.¹⁰ Free Global Cities represent a new system that guarantees its citizen-residents the protection of life, liberty and property by a private company operating as a public service provider. The legal and regulatory framework, internal and external security and impartial, non-political dispute resolution are essential elements and included in this public service.

The main legal document of the Free Global City is the contract that each citizen-resident executes with the agreement termed the ‘Citizens’ Contract’. In the Free Global City, this accord unequivocally and officially outlines the rights and duties of all parties, including human rights, serving as a substitute for a constitution or declarations of human rights. This is more effective as citizens have enforceable contractual rights.

A government services provider can propose a particular kind of cohabitation inside a predetermined area, and only those who accept the proposal as contract-citizens choose to dwell there.¹¹ Such incentives must be compelling, otherwise there will be no people wanting to move there. The Free Global City is a voluntary submission to protection for life, liberty, and property in a given city-state, based on a contractual relationship between citizens-residents and the city. In case there is a conflict there is independent and impartial arbitration without any possibility of political interference. This only can guarantee the true protection of citizen’s rights.

The main advantage of the Free Global City model is that it is based on voluntary participation. You do not need to move to the city, and you can leave again at any time. An autonomous Free Global City corporation with a competitive portfolio of services emphasising security of life, liberty and property is and should be a compelling proposition for migrants and anyone seeking a secure environment which provides real rule of law and fosters prosperity. This is a proper social contract that outlines the parameters of participation between each citizen and the governance provider.¹² ‘With a Citizen Contract, the key difference from traditional systems is that the government service provider cannot increasingly take on more powers and interfere with citizens’ lives, as we see today not only in authoritarian countries, but also in democratic states in Europe and elsewhere.

The legal position and rights guaranteed under the Citizens’ Contract are not possible to be altered without consent. In a Free Global City, the focus is on economic prosperity, security, and the rule of law, including the enforcement of global human rights.¹³

It is reasonable to expect that Free Global Cities, once established, will continue to grow and evolve, provided that security is maintained, laws and contracts are impartially enforced, personal and economic freedoms are preserved, and political and religious conflicts are avoided. People always gravitate towards places where they can thrive. Citizenship and human rights are empty and hollow if these basic foundations for prosperity are not assured, especially the rule of law. Free Global Cities will focus on these basic foundations, which are at the same time the foundations for real citizenship rights and human rights.

Conclusion

Many scholars emphasise the importance of human autonomy in the formation of identity and the realisation of human potential; for this reason, self-governed cities must be constructed for migrants and refugees rather than camps and in addition to resettlement to safe host countries. The primary goal of Free Global Cities is to create a safe environment for migrants who are compelled to leave their homes and begin a new life elsewhere. This notion is distinct from that of a global city where the market rules, frequently at the expense of its citizens and the environment.

References and notes

¹ C Kälin, Citizenship and Human Rights (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2024)

² ibid.

³ D Held, ‘Principles and Institutions of Global Justice’ (United Nations University, 2013) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djJ45PPkh-Y

⁴ ibid.

⁵ H Kriesi, ‘Is There a Crisis of Democracy in Europe?’ (2020) 61 Polit Vierteljahresschr 237–60 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11615-020-00231-9

⁶ T Gebel, Free Private Cities: Making Governments Compete for You (CreateSpace Publishing 2023) 8.

⁷ World Economic Forum, 70 Years of Urban Growth in 1 Infographic, http://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/09/mapped-the-dramatic-global-rise-of-urbanization-1950-2020/

⁸ A special economic zone (SEZ) is an area in which the business and trade laws are different from the rest of the country.

⁹ W Shepard, ‘Inside The Rise Of Private Cities: “Priority Of Management Is Profit, Not The Needs Of Citizens” ’ (Forbes, 31 January 2020) https://www.forbes.com/sites/wadeshepard/2020/01/31/inside-the-rise-of-private-cities-priority-of-management-is-profit-not-the-needs-of-citizens/

¹⁰ T Gebel, ‘Free Private Cities – There is an Alternative’ (Business Reporter, 2021) http://www.business-reporter.co.uk/management/free-private-cities--there-is-an-alternative

¹¹ T Gebel, ‘Private Cities: A Path to Liberty’ (FEE Stories, 22 April 2016) https://fee.org/articles/private-cities-a-path-to-liberty/

¹² ibid.

¹³ C Kälin, Citizenship and Human Rights (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2024).