How can there be more free city states around the world with a POD during or after WWI
AHC: Many City States
- Thread starter MadMaper 13
- Start date
More Danzigs implemented after WWI
Fiume and Trieste would make good candidates. Later on, coastal cities in China eventually form their own countries.
Fiume and Trieste would make good candidates. Later on, coastal cities in China eventually form their own countries.
I had always fantasized about having Berlin as a city state, but I feel such a feat is impossible 
Phased de-colonization can create city-states
What if de-colonializing powers gave up their "island" bases last, and insisted that such cities become independent in their own right? This would be a fairly modest change, that would greatly increase the number of city states.
Zanzibar remains separate from Tanganyika upon decolonization.
Britain and Spain compromise over Gibraltar, allowing it to be independent.
How many of the Lesser Antilles countries are effectively city states?
How many of the Pacific island countries are effectively city states?
The Gaza Strip is a de facto city state.
Aleppo.
Kuwait.
What if de-colonializing powers gave up their "island" bases last, and insisted that such cities become independent in their own right? This would be a fairly modest change, that would greatly increase the number of city states.
Zanzibar remains separate from Tanganyika upon decolonization.
Britain and Spain compromise over Gibraltar, allowing it to be independent.
How many of the Lesser Antilles countries are effectively city states?
How many of the Pacific island countries are effectively city states?
The Gaza Strip is a de facto city state.
Aleppo.
Kuwait.
Lebanese cities
What if the Lebanese civil war had resulted in international recognition for the various factions as independent states? That would create several city states, including several in Beirut.
What if the Lebanese civil war had resulted in international recognition for the various factions as independent states? That would create several city states, including several in Beirut.
Honduras
Honduras is currently considering constitutional changes that would allow the formation of many very autonomous cities.
Honduras is currently considering constitutional changes that would allow the formation of many very autonomous cities.
Other de-colonization possibilities
Jersey (the island, not the American State).
Bristol.
Panama City.
Walvis Bay.
Cabinda.
Jersey (the island, not the American State).
Bristol.
Panama City.
Walvis Bay.
Cabinda.
Libya
Libya has had a few severe crises. If it were not for the oil money, even now it might break up into city states.
Libya has had a few severe crises. If it were not for the oil money, even now it might break up into city states.
Basra in a balkanized Iraq scenario
Perhaps Odessa following a 1990's Ukrainian civil war?
Or maybe Cueta+Melilla gain independence from Spain in 70's but refuse to join Morocco?
Perhaps Odessa following a 1990's Ukrainian civil war?
Or maybe Cueta+Melilla gain independence from Spain in 70's but refuse to join Morocco?
Forces in the Pattern Language
Most of these scenarios have a few things in common:
1) A temporarily weak, but rising land power (e.g., Spain, Morocco, Tanganyika, Syria, India) at the time of independence.
2) Some sort of natural defense for the city state (e.g., the Rock of Gibraltar, Zanzibar being an island, Lebanon's terrain, Goa being an island).
3) The city state has access to the ocean.
4) A great power provides guarantees to the city state.
5) The great power still cares enough about the city state, and is still willing to pay for sufficient expeditionary forces, for the guarantee to be credible. This is what is "Alternate" about these scenarios. Even Margaret Thatcher had to settle for Hong Kong's autonomy (not independence), and had to appeal to the United States to back up the U.K.'s guarantee of Kuwait's independence.
6) The independence of the city state has strategic value to the great power. This is a nice-to-have feature, but not required. It greatly improves the credibility of the guarantee.
7) The city state's leaders are sufficiently business-oriented that they can build a thriving economy. This probably involves low transfer taxes, encouraging imports and exports, and promoting trade with the hinterland. It might also involve promoting immigration, and promoting literacy and numeracy.
9) Despite having a politically influential business class that is actively trading with the hinterland, the city's leaders believe that independence is superior to "full citizenship" in the hinterland's polity.
10) The hinterland is either divided into multiple states, no one of which is able to conquer the city state, and/or the hinterland's leadership is not inclined to "kill the golden goose".
Most of these scenarios have a few things in common:
1) A temporarily weak, but rising land power (e.g., Spain, Morocco, Tanganyika, Syria, India) at the time of independence.
2) Some sort of natural defense for the city state (e.g., the Rock of Gibraltar, Zanzibar being an island, Lebanon's terrain, Goa being an island).
3) The city state has access to the ocean.
4) A great power provides guarantees to the city state.
5) The great power still cares enough about the city state, and is still willing to pay for sufficient expeditionary forces, for the guarantee to be credible. This is what is "Alternate" about these scenarios. Even Margaret Thatcher had to settle for Hong Kong's autonomy (not independence), and had to appeal to the United States to back up the U.K.'s guarantee of Kuwait's independence.
6) The independence of the city state has strategic value to the great power. This is a nice-to-have feature, but not required. It greatly improves the credibility of the guarantee.
7) The city state's leaders are sufficiently business-oriented that they can build a thriving economy. This probably involves low transfer taxes, encouraging imports and exports, and promoting trade with the hinterland. It might also involve promoting immigration, and promoting literacy and numeracy.
9) Despite having a politically influential business class that is actively trading with the hinterland, the city's leaders believe that independence is superior to "full citizenship" in the hinterland's polity.
10) The hinterland is either divided into multiple states, no one of which is able to conquer the city state, and/or the hinterland's leadership is not inclined to "kill the golden goose".
I always liked the idea of a West Berlin becoming a free City State instead of an Enclave.
Jerusalem is also a good candidate. A nuetral, secular city state with a Muslim state to the East and a Jewish state to the West.
Manhattan maybe.
Jerusalem is also a good candidate. A nuetral, secular city state with a Muslim state to the East and a Jewish state to the West.
Manhattan maybe.
Brussels. Belgium is only held together because no one can figure out what to do with Brussels should the country split up. So the idea that the independent city state of Brussels acting as the EU capital city outside of either Flanders or Wallonia gains steam, and the country dissolves. We're left with Flanders as a new country, Wallonia as either another country or part of France, and Brussels.
The problem are resources. City (states) require a lot of resurces they can't produce on their own. It wasn't a problem in ancient Greece where cities were small and people didn't require much beyond food and basic metalurgy. Imagine feeding a city of 1 million people. To grow it on it's own it would require a lot of land and non-urban population to work the land. Then it's all sorts of modern gadgets, from phones to cars. All require resources, which will likely have to be imported either in finished form or as raw resources to be processed. Then there is energy. You can deal with that to a degree with renewable sources (if available) or nuclear power (requiring specialized equipemnt and fuel). Import all that. How is city going to pay for that? It can do it by exporting finished goods or service industry. Exporting goods require strong industry, further eating into population. Service industry is very bubbly and can implode at any moment.
IMO they are simply not feasible. Singapore is only true city-state but they managed to find a ballance on how to pay for everything.
IMO they are simply not feasible. Singapore is only true city-state but they managed to find a ballance on how to pay for everything.
Danzig, Trieste and Memel were already mentioned I think. If post WW1 goes differently, it's possible.
Goa though small actually contains multiple cities. Thus, it would not be a city state per se.
Andorra and San Marino are both home to more than one city. Thus, they would be like Goa in the example noted above.
This too is true. Incidentally, isn't Singapore partially dependent on Malaysia for fresh water as it is?