Why many Asian megacities are miserable places
The Economist dissects why some Asian megacities become "miserable places," while others, like Shanghai and Tokyo, thrive due to superior governance models. Hacker News users quickly jumped past the paywall to discuss the critical role of urban planning and administrative structures in shaping metropolitan success or failure.
The Lowdown
This Economist article explores the stark divergence in livability among Asian megacities, positing that effective governance and administrative structures are the primary determinants of a city's success. It argues that while many struggle with fragmented planning and systemic issues, select cities offer compelling models of urban excellence. Key insights from the article include:The article highlights Shanghai's success, attributing it to the city's unique status of being run by the central government as if it were a province, enabling cohesive, top-down development.Tokyo's robust urban environment is showcased as another model, characterized by a sophisticated, tiered governance system where the Tokyo Metropolitan Government manages large-scale public services, while local municipalities handle day-to-day operations.This division of labor, coupled with central coordination, ensures both localized responsiveness and integrated metropolitan-wide planning.Ultimately, the article concludes that the livability and functionality of rapidly expanding Asian megacities are less about their size and more about the underlying governmental frameworks that either foster efficient, forward-thinking development or perpetuate chronic urban challenges.
The Gossip
Paywall Predicament
The immediate hurdle for many eager readers was the article's paywall, a common frustration on Hacker News. One user promptly provided an archive link to bypass this, though subsequent comments indicated that even this workaround was inconsistently accessible, underscoring the ongoing cat-and-mouse struggle between content providers and access-seekers.
Governance Grandeur: Models for Megacity Management
Once past the access barrier, the discussion quickly centered on the article's core thesis: the pivotal role of urban governance in shaping a megacity's livability. Commenters highlighted the examples of Shanghai, governed provincially by the central government, and Tokyo, with its sensible split between a metropolitan government and local wards, as effective models for urban administration and planning, sparking interest in their comparative advantages.