This entrepreneur and Stanford-economist has an unconventional, politically incorrect idea to end poverty. He’s trying to help the poorest countries grow rich—by convincing them to establish foreign-run “charter cities” within their borders. Remember Britain’s lease of Hong Kong? Most development fails because of dysfunctional governance. By building urban oases of technocratic sanity, struggling nations could attract investment and jobs; private capital would flood in, and foreign aid would not be needed. Neo-colonialism? Yes, something like that, but it may just work.
