Honduras Completes Legal Structure for... Three Privately-Run Cities?

Via @benk84 in the sidebar. It's a very neat idea, very sci-fi.

I have no idea if this is feasible. The sum of my knowledge of such ventures derives from RoboCop. And, Bioshock. Apparently the artistic community isn't a fan of the concept.

But it will be a fascinating experiment.

An international group of investors and government representatives signed the memorandum Tuesday for the project that some say will bring badly needed economic growth to this small Central American country and that at least one detractor describes as "a catastrophe."

The project's aim is to strengthen Honduras' weak government and failing infrastructure, overwhelmed by corruption, drug-related crime and lingering political instability after a 2009 coup.

...

The "model cities" will have their own judiciary, laws, governments and police forces. They also will be empowered to sign international agreements on trade and investment and set their own immigration policy.

...

"The future will remember this day as that day that Honduras began developing," said Michael Strong, CEO of the MKG Group. "We believe this will be one of the most important transformations in the world, through which Honduras will end poverty by creating thousands of jobs."

I'm curious about the legal charters here -- do judges have the power to compel the managing corporation to do this and that -- like, "spend $45 billion more right now! I mean it, guys!" -- or is it built into the charter that they don't? I assume the latter, otherwise who the heck would risk the whim of a judge who decides to start running your company for you?

Very neat idea.

Seems Marx had it backwards. Socialism isn't the answer to the internal contradictions in capitalism; capitalism is the solution for the contradictions -- and massive humanity-crushing failures -- of socialism.

As they say of democracy: People try it once all other possibilities have been proven to have failed.

But What I Don't Get... Is how sovereign authority can be passed to private hands in a democracy.

And if it's not passed, then the private corporation really doesn't run the city.

I don't know how they worked out this problematic contradiction at the center of the scheme.

posted by Ace at 05:58 PM

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