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0 pointsEric_WVGG3y ago0 comments

If anyone non-UK types are interested in this weird entity — technically dates back to Roman days, and predates the United Kingdom by hundreds of years — this podcast episode is quite funny and informative.

Just an example of what a weird anomalous zone it is: the King (or Queen) of England is not legally allowed to enter without explicit permission from the mayor — not the mayor of London, the Lord Mayor of this square mile. It's like if Wall Street could tell the President of the US to take a hike.

https://trashfuturepodcast.podbean.com/e/unlocked-britainolo...

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7 comments · 2 top-level

chriswarbo3y ago· 5 in thread

> It's like if Wall Street could tell the President of the US to take a hike

An alternative take:

If it turns out, by some legislative fluke, that a particular square mile of the US is not bound by all of its laws, it won't be long until Wall St companies start moving their headquarters!

0xcde4c3db3y ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_of_Death_(Yellowstone)

pclmulqdq3y ago

This is kind of what happens in Las Vegas, but to a lesser extent than the City of London. Most of what we think of as "Las Vegas" is actually the unincorporated territory known as "Paradise."

rootusrootus3y ago

That's pretty common, though? It's the whole reason the census has the concept of metro statistical areas. Phoenix, Portland, Seattle, all have this same effect to varying degrees.

But none of them have a rule saying the POTUS cannot visit with the Mayor approving, so there's that. And "City of London" is tiny compared to the rest of the London metro.

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yieldcrv3y ago

I started digging and noticed there are lots of little fiefdoms in plain sight in the US.

Its... amusing.

Either a little unincorporated hamlet to escape taxes, or a little incorporated hamlet to collect taxes from some warehouses.

KptMarchewa3y ago

Aka Delaware.

danjoredd3y ago

CGP Grey also had a great video on it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrObZ_HZZUc

He also had a video on the mayor of The City of London

https://youtu.be/z1ROpIKZe-c

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