In Indonesia, the prospect of building a new capital city from scratch has long been a hot topic. When the government decided to move the capital from Jakarta to the archipelago in East Kalimantan, it is important to examine the historical context of new capital cities built around the world in the last century. The historical fact of building new capital cities from empty land shows a consistent pattern of failed economic promises, especially in generating enough business opportunities and jobs to attract and retain a growing population.