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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Is Boris more powerful than Cameron? | Is Boris more powerful than Cameron? |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| He has more Facebook friends. He's more widely recognised. He might even be more likely to | He has more Facebook friends. He's more widely recognised. He might even be more likely to |
| win the next struggle for leadership of the Conservative party. And | win the next struggle for leadership of the Conservative party. And |
| he's a hell of a lot more fun. But in the age of the city-state, as | he's a hell of a lot more fun. But in the age of the city-state, as |
| megalopolises become increasingly effective "nations" in their own | megalopolises become increasingly effective "nations" in their own |
| right, could Boris Johnson not only be more likable than David | right, could Boris Johnson not only be more likable than David |
| Cameron – but more powerful, too? | Cameron – but more powerful, too? |
| The case for Cameron seems to be open | The case for Cameron seems to be open |
| and shut. In the traditional political-science definitions of hard | and shut. In the traditional political-science definitions of hard |
| power, Cameron has the edge over Boris all the way. He commands more | power, Cameron has the edge over Boris all the way. He commands more |
| soldiers and can launch more nuclear missiles. His budget is greater | soldiers and can launch more nuclear missiles. His budget is greater |
| and he retains certain abilities to appoint officials in national | and he retains certain abilities to appoint officials in national |
| politics that give him, and national leaders like him, a classical | politics that give him, and national leaders like him, a classical |
| type of power. | type of power. |
| Consider, however, that it is now | Consider, however, that it is now |
| cities which, across the globe, trump nations in getting things done, | cities which, across the globe, trump nations in getting things done, |
| making government work, embodying democracy, generating civic trust | making government work, embodying democracy, generating civic trust |
| and cooperating across borders. For example, take ideology: city | and cooperating across borders. For example, take ideology: city |
| governance has nothing to do with it. | governance has nothing to do with it. |
| Running a city is all about | Running a city is all about |
| pragmatism. Boris may be a Conservative in name and inclination, but | pragmatism. Boris may be a Conservative in name and inclination, but |
| isn't above embracing a traditionally more liberal idea like greater | isn't above embracing a traditionally more liberal idea like greater |
| immigration – just as Michael Bloomberg in New York abandoned first | immigration – just as Michael Bloomberg in New York abandoned first |
| the Democratic and then the Republican party to become a self-styled | the Democratic and then the Republican party to become a self-styled |
| independent. Boris calls himself an "anarcho-Tory", and in playing | independent. Boris calls himself an "anarcho-Tory", and in playing |
| the prudent steward, the creative entrepreneur and the boisterous | the prudent steward, the creative entrepreneur and the boisterous |
| showman all at once, makes good his claim. This ideological freedom | showman all at once, makes good his claim. This ideological freedom |
| gives him the power to truly take on ideas that work, rather than | gives him the power to truly take on ideas that work, rather than |
| being shackled to party will. | being shackled to party will. |
| Boris and Bloomberg share far more than | Boris and Bloomberg share far more than |
| Cameron does with Barack Obama. The two mayors are drawn together by | Cameron does with Barack Obama. The two mayors are drawn together by |
| common urban challenges, rather than driven apart by rival sovereign | common urban challenges, rather than driven apart by rival sovereign |
| interests. They need to forge relationships with Kiev and Moscow, | interests. They need to forge relationships with Kiev and Moscow, |
| rather than worry about how to stop Russia from | rather than worry about how to stop Russia from |
| swallowing Ukraine. As a great, multicultural world city, London | swallowing Ukraine. As a great, multicultural world city, London |
| need not defend English monoculture or spurn the diversity and | need not defend English monoculture or spurn the diversity and |
| tolerance that are a key to municipal success. | tolerance that are a key to municipal success. |
| Mayors are free in a | Mayors are free in a |
| way national leaders are not: they do not require armoured limousines | way national leaders are not: they do not require armoured limousines |
| to travel safely, but ride public transit (Bloomberg) or cycle | to travel safely, but ride public transit (Bloomberg) or cycle |
| (Boris). That kind of public accessibility is civic trust: and a | (Boris). That kind of public accessibility is civic trust: and a |
| potent form of power. | potent form of power. |
| What's more, Cameron and Obama, the | What's more, Cameron and Obama, the |
| world's most powerful leaders, achieve far less than do | world's most powerful leaders, achieve far less than do |
| the heads of cities, which are supposedly inferior jurisdictions. | the heads of cities, which are supposedly inferior jurisdictions. |
| When Obama was looking for viable responses to economic inequality in | When Obama was looking for viable responses to economic inequality in |
| America, he invited 15 new mayors to Washington to share their urban | America, he invited 15 new mayors to Washington to share their urban |
| strategies. Mayors must deal with the consequences of issues like | strategies. Mayors must deal with the consequences of issues like |
| poverty, unemployment, undocumented workers and market injustices | poverty, unemployment, undocumented workers and market injustices |
| without being able to control their origins in porous border controls | without being able to control their origins in porous border controls |
| or global markets that nation states are supposed to address but | or global markets that nation states are supposed to address but |
| haven't. | haven't. |
| Boris, like all mayors, gets things done. Mayors develop job | Boris, like all mayors, gets things done. Mayors develop job |
| programmes, build affordable housing, catalyse pre-school education | programmes, build affordable housing, catalyse pre-school education |
| and ensure the garbage gets picked up. (Teddy Kollek, a long-term | and ensure the garbage gets picked up. (Teddy Kollek, a long-term |
| mayor of Jerusalem, was reported in the 1980s to have told a group of | mayor of Jerusalem, was reported in the 1980s to have told a group of |
| clerics who were hectoring him about access to the holy sites: | clerics who were hectoring him about access to the holy sites: |
| "Gentlemen, gentlemen! Spare me your sermons and I will fix your | "Gentlemen, gentlemen! Spare me your sermons and I will fix your |
| sewers!") | sewers!") |
| The US government closed twice in the | The US government closed twice in the |
| last several years, and few ordinary citizens even noticed. Imagine | last several years, and few ordinary citizens even noticed. Imagine |
| closing Chicago or Edinburgh or London. Imagine Boris standing on a | closing Chicago or Edinburgh or London. Imagine Boris standing on a |
| matter of principle to the extent that his administration stopped | matter of principle to the extent that his administration stopped |
| running. His popularity would evaporate overnight; he might be gone | running. His popularity would evaporate overnight; he might be gone |
| in a week. | in a week. |
| Cities are not just a level of administration, they embody | Cities are not just a level of administration, they embody |
| the human communities that define us: where we are born, study, work, | the human communities that define us: where we are born, study, work, |
| marry, create and procreate, play, pray, age and die. Those who shape | marry, create and procreate, play, pray, age and die. Those who shape |
| the conditions under which these defining human activities take place | the conditions under which these defining human activities take place |
| are, in fact, too powerful to be able to step back from their | are, in fact, too powerful to be able to step back from their |
| responsibilities. Real power is power too potent, too indispensable, | responsibilities. Real power is power too potent, too indispensable, |
| to pause or freeze or postpone. | to pause or freeze or postpone. |
| This isn't just about Boris. He has | This isn't just about Boris. He has |
| proven a capable and innovative and contentious mayor, as Bloomberg | proven a capable and innovative and contentious mayor, as Bloomberg |
| was in New York; yet Ken Livingstone before Boris was no less powerful | was in New York; yet Ken Livingstone before Boris was no less powerful |
| and effective, and De Blasio after Bloomberg will be the same. These | and effective, and De Blasio after Bloomberg will be the same. These |
| megacity mayors reflect and embody the ascendency of cities in a | megacity mayors reflect and embody the ascendency of cities in a |
| world of dysfunctional nation-states. In a fundamental way that is | world of dysfunctional nation-states. In a fundamental way that is |
| unrelated to their personal reputations, the answer is clear: Boris | unrelated to their personal reputations, the answer is clear: Boris |
| Johnson is more powerful than David Cameron. | Johnson is more powerful than David Cameron. |
| Benjamin Barber is the author of Jihad vs McWorld and If Mayors Ruled the World | |
| • City-states: which cities most dominate their countries? |