It was the american sociologist and economist Saskia Sassen who introduced in 1991 the concept of “global city”. In her book “The global city” she presents global cities as those that have a direct effect on world affairs, not only through socio-economic aspects, but also on politics or culture.
According to Sassen, the cross-border networks that unite megacities engender new regional policies, that can be cosider “Global”. This way, international politics becomes increasingly concentrated, determined and defined by these new axes of power that are global cities, and the flows they create in their multiple connections.
Following this vision, our geopolitical future will not be determined only by what the United States, China or other powers do, but by the interaction of some twenty strategic urban networks around the world.
“The reality that we will experience is bot a novelty and an interesting thing – Sassen says – since global governance could pass from the hands of nation-states to global cities, which, due to this transfer of power, will grow and develop a lot more, to limits still unknown. ”
Strengthening participation in the global economy from the cities is almost a Copernican turn that would allow us to redefine the concept of global governance and development strategies.
It does not seem premature, then, to say that the development of megacities and urban civilization will be another factor in the transformation of the global future.
Although it is always difficult to experience such remarkable processes of change, that modify basic aspects of politics and life, the development of cities should be viewed with an optimistic approach.
The metropolises are important for the future of humanity. Energy efficiency, resource management, improvement of mobility and territorial interconnection are some of the positive consequences that could result from innovation and urban progress.
