Re: Optimal location of world capital

On Feb 24, 11:36 am, Hardcow...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 wrote:
> Let's ignore the existing international relations of economy and power
> and assume we get complete freedom to choose on the basis of location
> and population distribution. What city would be the best choice as
> capital of an imagined utopian world state where all nations are equal?

(I'm going to assume this utopia is at least as technologically
advanced as the modern West-slash-Far East, and way more democratic
than same.)

It's worth pointing out that capital cities aren't always the
industrial, economic, cultural, or population core of a nation, though
they may be adjacent. They're also not always on major intra- or
international trade routes. Some were placed where the are for
strategic reasons that are no longer relevant. This pretty much
describes Ottawa, for example.

With communications and high speed trans****tation being what they are,
pretty much any spot with reasonable geographic features, free of
recurring natural disasters would work. It needn't be based in the
industrial or economic heart of the world, or (if all nations are
truly equal) in the most populous areas. Any empty corner of
Madagascar, Papua New Guinea, or St Lucia would work just as well as
Dubai, Ho Chi Minh City, or Monaco.

But I really see no need for a fixed physical location, particularly
not one meant to represent the will of billions. So why not a virtual
or ad hoc capital?

--
DJensen