Pathways toward more ethical cities
Photo Credit: Brendan F.D. Barrett
In our 2020 book, together with my co-authors Ralph Horne and John Fien, we proposed six interlinked pathways to promote the transition towards an ethical city. These are:
Mediate the means of production;
Mediate consumption;
Reconfigure modes of exchange;
Processes rather than endpoints;
Overcome fear and embrace the inevitable, and
Build alliances, share knowledge.
They are not meant as a blueprint for the ethical city because we recognize that urban change is unmanageable and unpredictable, and hence there is no single solution that fits all circumstances. Nor do we expect an ethical city to exhibit all of the above. Rather, we highlight these pathways because they represent promising opportunities for change.
Emergence of a new kind of local economy
The top three pathways point to a more ethical approach to local economic development (compared to the status quo) that shifts existing patterns of production, consumption, and exchange.
At the forefront is the doughnut economy as proposed by the British economist, Kate Raworth. The central argument is that our economies should be designed to regenerate rather than deplete resources and the natural world by respecting planetary boundaries and creating a social foundation to meet basic human needs. This approach has been applied at the city level with Amsterdam as a leading example. It is supported by the Doughnut Economics Action Lab with collaboration from groups such as Circle Economy. I discussed the Doughnut Economy earlier in the context of how ethical cities could play a key role in the post-Covid19 economic recovery.
Similarly in the economic sphere, considerable emphasis has been placed on the potential of the sharing economy as a new type of socio-economic system. This approach, also known as peer to peer sharing and collaborative consumption, encourages individuals to rent or borrow goods (rather than own them), involves consumers directly in the creation, production, trade and consumption of goods and services, and fosters resource efficiencies. To be truly ethical, however, it is essential that the sharing economy embodies fair practices, protects workers' rights, addresses regulatory issues, and ensures that the benefits are distributed equitably.
Promoting the circular economy. Image Credit: Zeronaut.be
In instances when local economic development through traditional methods begins to stutter and fail, there may be the need for more radical responses. One example that I have discussed previously is community wealth building in the United States and the United Kingdom. In the former, Democracy Collaborative has played a key role supporting existing initiatives. In particular, the case of community wealth building in Cleveland, Ohio has attracted a lot of attention with the implementation of progressive procurement strategies and the creation of Evergreen Cooperatives.
Equally well-known is the Preston Model in the UK which has been supported by the Center for Local Economic Strategies. There is considerable interest in these approaches and the way that they direct spending from local anchor institutions back into the local economy. This may be adopted at the national level in Scotland through a new Community Wealth Building Act.
While an increasing number of commentators point to concerns about the end of Neo-liberal economics, what is unclear right now is what may replace it. The above examples, however, highlight that a lot of work is already underway in our cities searching for a new type of economy that cares for people and the environment.
It’s the journey not the destination
In discussions with John and Ralph, it has always been clear that the ethical city should be understood as an orientation rather than an ultimate goal. As such, perhaps the most important opportunity from the six pathways presented above is the focus on process rather than end points. In this context, we recommend in our book that cities adopt an ethical orientation. Bearing in mind that they are facing a range of disruptive forces (i.e., cost living crisis, housing crisis, climate crisis, and dramatic economic changes associated with automation and AI), it may also be prudent for cities to commit to radical experimentation as a response.
The aim here is not to expect instant positive results but to embark on the search for an urban ethical framework that addresses poverty and inequality, through enhanced governance, democracy, and social inclusion. This ought to employ measures designed to promote sustainability and an effective response to the climate crisis. Indeed, all these opportunities, while transforming the local economy to differing degrees, have the potential to enhance local resilience to external shocks.
The award-winning apartment building Nightingale 1 in Melbourne is fossil fuel free and relatively affordable with communal gardens and facilities. It is part of a growing movement of architectural developments that respect the triple bottom line of the planet, people and profits.
Most importantly this emphasis on process shaped by an ethical orientation provides space for a diverse range of experiments such as universal basic or guaranteed incomes (for example, B-Mincome in Barcelona), universal basic services (for example, free public transport in Tallinn), and new models for affordable housing development (for example, the Nightingale project in Melbourne).
Not all of these experiments will succeed. For example, the Bristol Pound was introduced as a local currency in 2012 and remained in operation until 2021. At its peak, it was used extensively throughout the city, with the local mayor receiving part of his salary in this currency. However, the shift to a cashless economy led to the demise of the Bristol Pound, and efforts to start a new local digital pay scheme could not gain sufficient investment support.
Experimentation is about being fearless
To try and bring about radical change is highly commendable, even if that change cannot be sustained indefinitely as in the example of the Bristol Pound. This leads to the fifth opportunity - overcome fear and embrace the inevitable. Fear causes inaction and means local problems remain unaddressed. The inevitable truth is that everything is changing before our eyes and it is better to embrace this change and to shape it towards a progressive agenda.
This is what inspires the work of the Fearless Cities movement. Launched in 2017 at the first Fearless Cities event organized by the local political party, Barcelona En Comú, this movement brings together activists, non-government organizations, local politicians, and city leaders. The goal is to try to build a global movement that would radicalize democracy, feminize politics, and create people and environmental friendly local economies.
Scene from the 2017 Fearless Cities event. Photo Credit: Barcelona En Comú
This is part of new municipalism which has emerged in recent years in diverse contexts but that basically aims to engage critically and creatively with the way that localism is articulated. It can be understood as a political approach to community designed to mobilize local resources for an explicit political agenda (generally left-leaning and progressive).
There are three core components. First, there is recognition of proximity politics arguing that it is at the local level where we can try to change everyday life. Second, there is a desire to transform local institutions and the way that power is distributed in the city. This implies bringing people closer to the decisions that affect them and promoting collective self-government. A good example, also found in Barcelona, is the introduction of participatory budgeting referred to as Decidim. Third, there is the feminization of politics to ensure that women have a prominent role in local leadership positions. Barcelona En Comú successfully elected Barcelona’s first female mayor, Ada Colau, in 2015.
Again it is important to note that the radical path is not the easiest to travel. The complex and unpredictable nature of local political dynamics is clear from the fact that Ada Colau’s two-term stint as mayor came to an end with the May 2023 elections, requiring the formation of new coalitions if Barcelona‘s progressive agenda is to remain in place.
Build alliances, share knowledge
The Fearless City movement is all about building alliances and sharing knowledge. No single city has the resources and expertise to implement the whole gamut of ethical experiments and projects. Some cities will be very successful at one to two of these: pariticipatory budgeting, UBI, community wealth building, doughnut economics, etc. Therefore, it is vitally important that like-minded cities build alliances and share knowledge.
In our book, however, we warn against city alliances based on a single purpose. For instance, we suggest that net-zero carbon cities could easily fall into the trap of exacerbating inequalities or undermining inclusion if they promote accelerated decarbonization without careful consideration of the impact on jobs and the local economy. Rather, we argue in favour of networks and alliances around common ethics and universal values such as the right to the city, feminization of politics, regenerative economics, well-being and caring.
Cities that collaborate around projects in line with ethical principles and incorporating ethical processes could provide a valuable antidote to the dominant world city system that views of cities as essentially part of a globally competitive, winner takes all game.
The ethical city, therefore, should be understood as part of our collective search for a new story in the urban age.