Wednesday, May 23, 2018

On a self-reliant, resilient and regenerative local economy: 2 : Cities and the Wealth of Nations, Jane Jacobs

It’s well known that Jane Jacobs wrote a famous book that changed how we look at and think about cities. It’s not as well known that her books on economics were as influential. As she did in in The Death and Life of Great American Cities, in her 1984 book Cities and the Wealth of Nations, she uncovered things that were hiding in plain sight that had been overlooked by “experts.” She again, showed us things that once seen, are impossible to un-see. If you have an interest in economies, macro or micro, pick up a copy and read along.
I’ll be rereading it specifically to better understand how a self-reliant, resilient and regenerative local economy takes hold and grows. Here’s Strong Towns’ Charles Marohn with a terrific overview and introduction to the book. Chapter 1 ; Fool's Paradise ...
"Cities and the Wealth of Nations skewers dogma in a relentless march towards one of Jane Jacobs' most important insights: cities, not nations, are the central organizing geography around which economies are structured..."


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