Cities will play a large Role in electing National governments
In a recent article by Michael Bloomberg in Foreign Affairs (www.foreignaffairs.com), he has placed a very compelling argument for cities. Cities, he says, have always been more instrumental in shaping the world than empires. From Athens and Rome to Paris and Venice, to Baghdad and Beijing, cities have been the ones that have shaped civilisations. Drawing a parallel, in India too, the cities of Agra, Delhi, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai have, since pre modern times and even today, shaped narratives in the nation. The urban populations have grown from a mere 10% to about 50% today and estimated to increase to 70% in the near future. A city concentrates brain power of humanity in relatively small geographic areas, that promotes the kind of interactions and creativity that lead to scientific breakthroughs and technological advances. Cities have been the drivers of economy and today, with the knowledge economy, cities will play a leading role in addressing challenges faced by h...