The future of cities

Grindall61 reads from the Global Risks Report 2016, a document produced for the World Economic Forum held at Davos Switzerland. "The Global Risks Report", now in its 11th edition, "draws attention to ways that global risks could evolve and interact in the next decade."

One of the possible scenarios, Future 1, includes walled cities. Grindall61 points out that this is actually happening in his home town.

Future 1 Walled Cities (from the document)

"As greater penetration of information and communications technology broadens the horizons of citizens in many countries, raising expectations in areas such as health, education, infrastructure and quality of governance. At the same time, fiscal challenges are reducing governments` ability to meet citizens` expectations - and citizens become disillusioned by their exposure to public sector corruption, poor service delivery and ineffective institutions."

"This scenario foresees widening inequalities of wealth, income, health, environment and opportunity continuing to pull communities apart. In wealthier nations, the middle classes are hollowed out by declining wages and dwindling public goods. Those who can afford it are increasingly retreating to gated communities and turning to the private sector for what were once public services, divorcing their interests from the common good."

"Fertile soil, fresh water and even clean air become increasingly commoditized and traded between those who can afford them. With economic and political elites feeling ever more identical and distant from citizens, states lose their ability to bring people together around a shared narrative or identity. Trust is eroded, as is the social contract between citizens and government."

See also http://strongcitiesnetwork.org/