This story is adapted from a broadcast audio segment; use audio player to listen to tracks by the artists featured in this segment.
The biggest problem facing the people of Haiti &#8212; or any poor country &#8212; is the rules, says Stanford economist Paul Romer. Good rules can keep people safe. Bad rules can harm society.
Rather than trying to change the rules inside of existing countries, Romer believes it would be easier to create entirely new cities with new and transparent rules. Romer <a href="http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/2010/01/for-richer-for-poorer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explained his idea</a> in Prospect Magazine:
How would such a city work? Imagine that a government in a poor country set aside a piece of uninhabited land. It invites a developed country to enter into a new type of partnership, in which the developed country sets up and enforces rules specified in a charter. Citizens from the poorer country, and the rest of the world, would be free to live and work in the city that emerges. It could create economic opportunities and encourage foreign investment, and by using uninhabited land it would ensure everyone living there would have chosen to do so with full knowledge of the rules.
The cities would be &quot;a modern, voluntary version of what happened under imperialism in places like Hong Kong,&quot; according to Here &amp; Now host Robin Young. But Romer insists idea is to give people more choice. He tells &quot;Here &amp; Now:&quot;
&quot;Many people around the world would leap at the chance to just go some place where they could be safe, their kids could get an education and they could get a job.&quot;
Romer believes these new charter cities may be their best chance.
You can also watch Romer explain his idea below:
<object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" height="283" width="470"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mSHBma0Ithk&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;" /><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="283" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mSHBma0Ithk&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="470"></embed></object>
&quot;Here and Now&quot; is an essential midday news magazine for those who want the latest news and expanded conversation on today&#39;s hot-button topics: public affairs, foreign policy, science and technology, the arts and more. <a href="../here-now.html">More &quot;Here and Now&quot;</a>

Haiti

Paul Romer

Robin Young

Development & Education

A teacher in France mixes math with rap and rhymes

Education

What rhymes with isosceles triangle? This French math teacher has the answer.

High fees paid by international students help US universities balance their books

Students in black caps and gowns holding inflatable globes in the air

The price of higher ed

Onboard a flight delivering aid from Jordan to Gaza

Gaza Strip as seen from the window of the Jordanian cargo plane carrying aid.

Israel-Hamas war

The view over Gaza onboard a Jordanian aid plane

The back of a group of students in black gowns and graduation caps.

The World’s 2024 education special: The price of higher ed 

Here and Now

Charter city

Economics

Geography

global development

Romer

Charter Cities: Curing poverty or neo-imperialism?

Walking across Anatolia

Out of Eden Walk

Out of Eden Walk: Walking Across Anatolia

Venezuelan migrants give up on Colombia as it reduces support policies

Three people cross a ravine as they walk through a forest with water bottles and backpacks.

Immigration

‘I’ll go for the American dream’: After struggling to get legal status in Colombia, many Venezuelan migrants are heading to the US

Brazil's innovative PIX banking system is replacing cash and credit cards

payment screen with options for credit, debit and Pix

Arts, Culture & Media

Brazil’s innovative Pix banking system is replacing cash and credit cards

For migrants, crossing Mexico is increasingly challenging

Migration

Migrants say crossing Mexico has become increasingly challenging

Israelis mark 6 months since Hamas' attacks in the south of the country

Israelis mark 6 months since attacks in the south of the country

What is the US' role at this moment in the Middle East?

US National Security Council spokesman on  heightened tensions between Iran and Israel: ‘We don’t want to see this conflict widen and deepen’

Ukraine artillery and air defense shortages

Ukraine

Ukraine faces artillery and air defense shortages

Former model shines spotlight on Indigenous fashion in Vancouver

The Red Dress night honored murdered and missing Indigenous women, and girls, Two Spirit and LGBTQ+ people in Canada and worldwide.

Fashion

They call her a ‘Mountain Mover’ — Founder of Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week revolutionizes the runway

Parents of hostages Hersh Goldberg-Polin speak up about latest deal to get son home

Parents of hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin speak up about latest deal to get him home

Palestinians in the West Bank fight for access to water

‘We have to cut back on everything’: Palestinian farmers in West Bank say water is in short supply

The World's Podcast

Global Hit

The World Stations

Listen

Top of the World daily newsletter

Critical State

Newsletters

Conflict & Justice

Culture & Society

Health & Medicine

Money

Politics

Science & Environment

Technology

Women & Gender

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

About Us

Contact

Donate Now

About

Donate

Meet the Team

Privacy

Terms of use

Subscribe

cG9zdDo2Mzk5NjU=

I have read and agree to your <a href="https://theworld.org/privacy" target="_blank">Privacy Policy</a>.