I cannot believe that a world-wide bubble-like increase in house prices over the past four decades is down to back-handers to planning committees at golf clubs, in Spain, Crimea, Italy, Wisconsin and London.
I think simply that there are an awful lot of people who want to live where the jobs are. In cities. And there are few nice places in cities, partly because that is the nature of the urban beast, but mostly because we design cities badly.
Cities can be badly affected by poor planning decisions - and those are driven more often by lack of regulation than active corruption. I mean many cities are blighted by 1960s tower blocks and concrete jungles. Those were not put up by corruption - they were active policy. The wrong policy but still not corrupt, just f'ing stupid short sighted and moronic.
I think simply that there are an awful lot of people who want to live where the jobs are. In cities. And there are few nice places in cities, partly because that is the nature of the urban beast, but mostly because we design cities badly.
Cities can be badly affected by poor planning decisions - and those are driven more often by lack of regulation than active corruption. I mean many cities are blighted by 1960s tower blocks and concrete jungles. Those were not put up by corruption - they were active policy. The wrong policy but still not corrupt, just f'ing stupid short sighted and moronic.
not bitter