A press conference this morning about an Economist Intelligence Unit research report that ranked New York as the world’s most competitive city afforded Mayor Michael Bloomberg an opportunity to share his thoughts on the relative benefits of democracy versus communism. Though the report had New York in the top spot, it also showed Asian cities, specifically those in China, are experiencing far more rapid growth than cities in the West. In terms of economic strength, 12 of the top 20 cities on the EIU’s list were in China. A reporter asked Mayor Bloomberg if he thought the more centralized government allowed by China’s communist model helped its cities grow.

“The grass is always greener, there are other forms of government and they have their advantages and they have their disadvantages,” Mayor Bloomberg said. “I don’t think you can blame democracy for our problems. In the end, the public gets the government I suppose that they deserve. All things considered, I would rather have our democracy than other things.” Read More