Charter Cities Podcast

For our first full episode of the Charter Cities Podcast, Mark is joined by Gyude Moore to discuss his experiences in and the history of Liberia, and what this story can teach us about charter cities in Africa and emerging markets. Gyude takes a brief look at the defining moments in Liberian history for this discussion, mentioning the population that arrived from America in the 1800s and the civil war he was born into at the end of the 20th century. We hear more from his personal story of moving to the US for college and then returning to a governmental position thanks to the Scott Family Fellows program and how this turned into a role as the Minister of Public Works. Gyude comments on the characteristics of the Liberian government at this time and the systems and attitudes that halted progress and reduced funds. From there, we move into Gyude's main passion and argument, that paved roads make up the backbone of any economy, a technology that has become completely commonplace in most of the Western world and the dearth of which results in much of Africa's economic stagnation. Gyude makes the connection between the US' reliance on the road network for so much of their strong economy and then compares this with Africa's road infrastructure, concluding that Africa can never progress without better, paved access between cities and hubs. The later part of our conversation moves into a discussion on Chinese involvement in Africa, the Belt and Roads Initiative and how Charter Cities might aid the propulsion of African economies in a way that other means might not. Gyude is a passionate and experienced planning mind, with lots to share from his native Liberia and beyond, so tune in to get it all!Key Points From This Episode:•   The influence of the end of the American slave trade on Liberian history and culture.•   Gyude's early years, growing up during the Liberian civil war.•   Comparing the encroaching civil war in Liberia to the current spread of the coronavirus.•   The influx of people into Monrovia at that time and the strain it placed on infrastructure.•   Gyude's move to the US for college and landing in Baltimore to an unexpected reception.•   Heading home to Liberia and the program that recruited Gyude to work with the state.•   The period in which Gyude took up a position as Minister of Public Works.•   Entrepreneurial spirit in government; aspirational work in the public sector in Liberia.•   Gyude's experiences of corruption in Liberia's emerging market.•   Cultural and mindset shifts for better long term benefits and installing systems in chaos.•   The technology of paved roads and what it enables a government and population to achieve.•   Gyude's idea for the incentivized development of cheaper materials for paved roads.•   Enforcing accountability for government projects, initiatives and funds. •   Gyude's critique of the Belt and Road Initiative and estimates of necessary funds.•   Assessing the involvement of China in Africa and the debt that is already present.•   The importance of planned cities in the lives of citizens and economic growth.•   Looking to the example of Asia and what Africa can and cannot learn from their model.•   The core of what appeals to Gyude about charter cities and how they can help.•   Risks that accompany the charter city model and the power of the host country.•   Skill sharing for the benefit of a local population; the rise in Africans hired by China.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Gyude Moore on TwitterCharter Cities InstituteMark LutterCharter Cities Institute on TwitterCharter Cities Institute on FacebookECOWASECOMOGBerea CollegePresident SirleafScott Fellows ProgramEd ScottAfrobarometerIMFCARIJohns HopkinsBelt and Road InitiativeJ.P. MorganHow Asia WorksSADCPaul RomerBarrick Gold

We are so happy to welcome you to the Charter Cities Podcast, where we highlight the different facets of building a charter city. Through this platform, we hope that listeners will not only gain a deep understanding of charter cities from urban planning to politics and finance but also the necessary steps that it takes to build them. In this episode, we do things a bit differently, with Mark Lutter, founder of Charter Cities Institute, and host of the podcast getting put in the hot seat. His CCI colleague, Tamara Winter, interviews him on a range of topics, both directly and not so directly, related to charter cities. We learn more about the mission of CCI and why Mark believes that charter cities are a good model for economic development. While Paul Romer, famed economist, unsuccessfully tried to get charter cities off the ground, Mark explains why he believes CCI’s approach will ultimately be more successful. Mark also sheds light on how charter cities are complementary to but different from economic zones. While these delineated areas are often politically motivated, the vision behind the charter city is much broader than that. CCI hopes to contribute to aspects such as site selection, urban planning, and governance, and in doing so, take a holistic approach to building a new city. Mark also discusses what it takes to build governance capacity, some of the charter city constraints, and how partnerships helped him launch CCI. We learn more about Mark as well, from some of his favorite books, the African cuisine that’s made the biggest impression on him, and how he has carried the lessons from his federal bureaucratic parents with him. We couldn’t have hoped for a better first episode, and we hope you join us for the journey to come. Tune in today!Key Points From This Episode:•   The two ways that CCI’s attempt at creating charter cities is different from Paul Romer’s.•   Why Mark is skeptical about using services as a means of building charter cities.•   Find out how charter cities are similar to and different from special economic zones.•   How regulatory arbitrage can produce favorable outcomes and what CCI is doing about it.•   Charter cities need good urban planning and infrastructure in conjunction with good governance.•   Two of Mark’s favorite books that he’s read related to places he has been.•   How growing up with parents who worked in federal bureaucracy has shaped Mark.•   What industrial policy is and what charter cities should be cognizant of when pursuing it.•   Why, despite admiring China’s Belt and Road Initiative, Mark is cautious about it.•   An overview of Honduras' charter legislation and what went wrong in execution.•   Find out what it would take to build a government from scratch and successful examples.•   Which historical leaders would have been good charter city founders?•   Learn more about the constraints that charter cities face and how they’re likely to change.•   Why Mark would opt to build charter cities in Canada rather than the US.•   Mark's motivation for founding CCI and his proudest CCI achievements thus far.•   Find out about the two key partnerships that helped Mark launch CCI.•   Why the state shouldn’t be trusted with industrial policy.•   What Silicon Valley is not understanding about politics and how they can change it.•   Mark’s favorite non-charter city books and what we can learn from historical eras.•   An overview of the Hanseatic League and how it can be used as a governance model today.•   How Mark’s thinking about charter cities has changed since founding CCI and how listeners can get involved. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Mark LutterMark Lutter on TwitterMark Lutter EmailTamara Winter on TwitterCharter Cities InstituteCharter Cities Institute on FacebookCharter Cities Institute on TwitterPaul RomerNkwashiThe Day Lasts More than a Hundred YearsDance of the JakarandaDani RodrikMarginal REVOLUTIONTyler Cowen on TwitterNapoleonBooker T. WashingtonTuskegee InstituteCatherine the GreatWalt DisneyCelebration, FloridaSidewalk LabsAlphabet Inc.Scott AlexanderY CombinatorMwiya Musokotwane on TwitterBrookings InstitutionEnyimba Economic CityStudents For LibertyThebeEmergent VenturesThe Rise and Decline of NationsThe Three-Body ProblemThe Art of CommunityRevolutionsHanseatic League