The future of cities and regional development is fundamentally different from where we come from. In the article about “breaking with our heritage” I describe this breaking process at individual and city governance level. Nowadays it goes even further than breaking with the facilitating function of our industrial or capitalist economic heritage. This is necessary if we want to have a sustainable future as a human species. It therefore also breaks with hierarchical dominance, citizen domestication, money as prime goal, growth and our cultural behavioral (lack of) ethics, as we all, people and institutions alike, carry the same responsibility. It goes much further than the decorative transition suggested in this animated visualization (source: LinkedIn ). Many cities will have to redefine themselves and their economies, some will disappear or develop into smaller units.
| previous city development | new city development sustainocracy |
| facilitating economic processes (industrial, logistics, real estate, labor, mobility, entertainment, remedial care) | core natural human values based clustering of impact driven processes |
| 100% depended on material resources from outside the city | focused on local self sufficiency in close cooperation with its local natural environment, applying technology and science if necessary |
| essential human values are regulated in a competitive financial environment | essential human values are steering all the silos of the city´s leadership archetypes |
| citizens are seen as a resource for political financial development | citizens are fundamental participants and partners in all the operations and objectives |
| financial growth is a common denominator | sustainably societal harmony and integral wellness is the common denominator |
| ethics is based on financial compliance | ethics is based on existential human values |
| 1 x WIN, 3 x Loss economy | 4 x WIN economy |
Sustainocracy, the new democracy 
