The Early, Early History of Economic Development

People have been discussing and practicing what is commonly referred to as economic development for 2,200 years.

13 Apr 2021 — 1 min read

Back in 190 BC when the first tax-free port, the Port of Delos, was declared, the Romans proclaimed it a tax haven for trade with the express purpose of growing its economy by diverting ships from the Port of Rhodes. Delos achieved its goals and Rhodes sank into insignificance. So, it can be said that people have been discussing and practicing what is commonly referred to as economic development for 2,200 years.

I just read this in Community Capitalism: Lessons from Kalamazoo and Beyond by Ron Kitchens (@ronkitchens). Fascinating stuff.