Global migration to cities
As of 2007, the urban population outnumbered the rural population for the first time in history, and we know that according to United Nations forecasts, 70-80% of the world population will live in urban areas by 2050.
This abrupt growth of cities is the most important trend of the 21st century, and places cities as key actors in the political, economic and social spheres, and above all, makes their commitment to global governance essential in matters such as climate change, the management of minors at risk of social exclusion or poverty, immigrants or refugees.
In Europe we are taking advantage of this trend, and it seems less strange to us, but even so, we have many great issues to tackle, and we want to make a proposal, to set our sights on the origin of society: municipalism.
Characteristics of the municipalities
The municipality is a natural administrative level that exists throughout the world. In fact, it has always existed veiled by the needs of the weakest in the community. We don’t have to invent anything.
When we speak of municipalities, we speak of administrations that are close to citizens.
And what happened? When did this change?
Well, as the politicians were taking more power, they were specializing and bureaucratizing, and of course, in the boss of a short time there were drawing lines to avoid conflicts, the borders. Kingdoms, regions, nations, states, provinces, regions …
The reality is that the territory and the city continue to be interconnected, and that Barcelona is much more than its 1,620,000 inhabitants, what a disaster if only they had to draw the future of Barcelona.
There are two ways to * interconnect the different municipalities, turning rural municipalities into beneficiaries of subsidies and public contributions of the taxes that have been * collected * mainly in large cities, or linking the rural economy with that of the big city.
At a time when the globalization destabilizes the economy with unforeseeable consequences, it is important to start a deep reflection on how we can link the products that can be obtained in our territory with the demand of the big city, thus guaranteeing the maintenance of rural structures, and very important: the landscape we have today.
A society without borders
Where are the borders?
If you raise borders, you isolate yourself, and at this moment in history, what we need is to be sponges and learn from everywhere to face all the changes that come to us.
The future is networks of interconnected people that • work together to generate value, by matching technology.
We want cities without physical borders. We do not understand borders, we understand people.
The responsibility of the territory is shared, we are all necessary to draw a 2050 that does not scare us.