Can Free Zones in the Middle of the Jungle Save the Developing World? WATCH: How To Grow a City in Honduras

Download Video as MP4

Honduras is one of the poorest countries in Latin America. It
has the highest murder rate in the world, almost double the next
closest contender. It’s a place ravaged by the illegal drug trade
and political instability. As recently as 2009 the military ousted
a president pushing to modify the constitution in order to extend
his own term. It may seem like the last place on earth where
businesses would want to invest, or where people would want to
move. 

But there’s a new idea about to be tried in Honduras.

Some call it a Startup City or Free City, others a LEAP Zone,
and in Honduran law it’s known as a ZEDE. They are politically
autonomous, privately run zones that supporters believe could
transform not only Honduras, but the entire developing world.

Check out Reason TV and Moving Picture Institute’s four-part
video series on this project to see what’s happening on the ground,
what the major obstacles might prove to be, and what entrepreneurs
with money on the line have in mind for the future.

Watch the entire series above, or click the link below for the
full text and links associated with each video. Produced by Zach
Weissmueller and Ross Kenyon. Edited by Weissmueller. Music by
Chris Zabriskie and Podington Bear.

View this article.