Benjamin R. Barber was Founder and President of the Interdependence Movement and Senior Research Scholar at City University of New York. Political theorist Benjamin R. Barber, adviser to former US president Bill Clinton and political leaders in the US and abroad, proposed a new global model of governance in which interdependent cities are the key players. Barber’s concept, a “parliament of mayors”, stands for a worldwide, borderless democracy which has the potential to replace the concept of nation-states. Barber’s studies show the cities’ superior capacity to deal with internal and external issues: on the one hand the non-partisan and pragmatic style of governance of mayors and local administrations; on the other hand the consolidated practice of engaging in partnerships with other cities to tackle common problems.
Benjamin R. Barber passed away in 2017.