The Smart City: The Exponent of a Civilization Transition in the Context of a Global Crisis

Abstract

In the course of their historical and existential narrative, human beings have come to define, in their physical environments, particular settlements—cities. These settlements-stars of multiple constellations-embodying the specific relations of production of their historical times—have always been dynamos of innovation, development and economic, social and cultural evolution. The present paper argues that we are presently on the verge of a civilization transition featured by the so-called smart cities. This transition has accelerated substantially in the two last decades, though remaining nearly unnoticed by the average citizen who has been progressively incorporating technological innovations in their daily routines, in their lifestyles. Adopting them acritically, even alienating themselves from reality with their excessive use, while adapting their social behaviours, their physical and social interactions to the new nature of the physical, economic, social and cultural reality they are embedded in. It is exactly at the verge of this transition that the Covid 19 outbreak, brutally shakes the citizens’ from their massive alienation. This huge unexpected disruption will lead either to a more self-aware, ethically-regulated, sustainable resilient city, where governance plays a fundamental regulatory role or will cause it to be even faster driven by the powerful force of an economy ruled by global markets and by huge global economic interests.