Abstract

AbstractThis essay calls for respect, tolerance and responsibility, to enable freedom. Expressions of freedom may vary culturally, but the underlying desire is truly universal. Yet, freedom must not be mistaken for license, to disregard others’ dignity, or to live untethered from the consequences of one’s actions. Freedom implies and requires tolerance, respect and responsibility. It is also fundamentally rooted in the idea that voluntary and/or voluntarily entered cooperation should replace confrontation and coercion. This is precisely where Free Cities (next-generation autonomous zones with contracts-based models of governance) can play a vital role. They are not threats to or replacements of nations, but partners offering opportunity – for individuals residing or moving there, and for the countries they are set up in. As such, Free Cities are a path to contributing to a future where human flourishing is not an abstract ideal but a lived reality – in respect, tolerance, and responsibility.