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What Elon can learn from an early doge of Venice
Why governance matters and other lessons from the city in the 13th century.
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Mr Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency is hogging the headlines for attempting to shred the federal government.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Tim Harford
As a tourist, the only reasonable response to Venice’s all-consuming beauty is to gasp in admiration after rounding every corner. As an economist, another response occurs: Once upon a time, this city must have been incredibly wealthy. From Bruges to Kyoto, being eclipsed after making it rich has long been a reliable way for cities to look beautiful a few centuries later. None, however, has achieved the feat quite as completely as Venice.
Venice was originally a community of fishermen, huddled together for protection on some muddy, flood-prone islands in the middle of a lagoon. Invisible, ever-shifting sandbanks in the shallows that defended the early Venetians against attackers were their only natural advantage. They lacked wood, minerals, metals, even arable land.
