Citistates: How Urban America Can Prosper in a Competitive World by Neal R. Peirce with Curtis W. Johnson and John Stuart Hall 

 Summary. 

Peirce, Johnson and Hall resurrect a concept from the past, the concept of city-states with a history that starts with civilization itself, maybe 10,000 years ago. Their work is based on studies in many regional cities throughout the United States. The book highlights: Phoenix, Seattle, Baltimore, Owensboro, Dallas and St. Paul; concluding with “Citistate Guideposts”. 

 The focus of the work is regionalism as opposed to the global spirit of the ancient city states. Regional cooperation, regional governance and infrastructure are prerequisites to success in the global economy. This book describes how to build and maintain a city state. However, there is another point to be made. Cities, as virtual sovereign nations, can participate in global trade directly.