Scott Alexander explores various modern independence-seeking projects, including charter cities and secessionist movements, discussing their potential and challenges. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses various modern-day independence-seeking projects like charter cities, utopian communes, and secessionist movements. He covers the Free State Project in New Hampshire and a similar proposal for Montenegro in Europe. The post then examines the Charter Cities Institute's claims about the effectiveness of charter cities, including a critical analysis by Rethink Priorities. Scott also describes the Black Hammer organization's plan for Hammer City, a proposed city for people of color. Finally, he discusses the current state of charter cities, including concerns about their size and governance models, and considers whether charter cities can truly drive large-scale economic development. Shorter summary