So, I watched this Ted video last night about a guy who has a theory about "charter cities" in which a developed nation would more or less take over a city in a developing country and through this relationship that city and eventually that country would develop a la Hong Kong and China did through Hong Kong's relationship with Great Britain. While it seems a bit like colonialism at its most basic roots I guesss you will have to decide for yourself, I am still up in the air over it. You can watch the video below...
Interestingly after watching this video last night I saw an article today that describes that they are going to try this exact idea in one of the northern cities of Honduras. What a coincidence and what an interesting idea, I guess we will just have to wait and see if it actually works out. I will try my best to keep updated on this idea and let everyone know how it is going. The article link is here: http://www.economist.com/node/21541392
Jim,
ReplyDeleteThis has been floated around in Honduras and even has backing, I think, in the Honduran Congress and perhaps even by Lobo.
I think it's a form of neo-imperialism, to be up front. It would be like selling parts of Chicago or Naperville to a corporation and have them make the laws, run the city, police the city, etc., with very little input from the federal government. And there may be no way that the people in the area have a say in a lot of this, though I'm not sure of this aspect.
Anyway, I - and many Hondurans I know - don't like it.
I would have to agree with Mr. Donaghy on this one. The world is full of gray and it is far to subjective for some to say, "Let's bring civilization or economic progress to developing countries". I am all for bringing care, peace, and aid to others who have tougher lives than my own (especially when lives and livelihood are at stake), but it is a gray area when it comes to progress and where the line is crossed when it comes to helping or manipulating. I have no idea where the line is, but I know there are numerous examples throughout history of one people bringing technology and progress to another while also intentionally or unintentionally destroying that civilization. That may only be on a cultural level or even as far is actually killing the people. Some people strive for a higher calling while others work more toward a material end.
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