Unit 5: Consequences of Urbanization
Cities draw migrants with the promise of higher living standards.
City residents have greater access to health care, more
employment and opportunity and access to more social and cultural
events. Previous units pointed out that cities have been at the
center of civilizations and continue to be the engines of social
and economic growth.
For all the relative advantages of city life, however,
widespread poverty casts a shadow over the urban future. A vast
number of people in urban areas are threatened by homelessness,
health hazards and violence among other things. These may affect
a portion of the urban population directly, but their indirect
effects are felt by the whole society.
Residents of urban areas are at risk from pollution and
other health hazards. Pollution from cars, the burning of fossil
fuels and industry cause illnesses such as respiratory infections
and lead poisoning.
Homelessness is a growing problem in cities all over the
world. In addition, there is the problem of poor housing.
Estimates of the world's homeless population plus those living in
poor housing can reach a figure of 1 billion people. People whoare homeless or live in poor housing are constantly threatened by
illnesses and have a much lower life expectancy than other
portions of the population.
Crime and violence are other, specifically urban, problems
that are not limited to one region of the world alone. Urban
violence has been growing by about 3 to 5 percent a year over the
last two decades. Poverty and social disintegration are cited as
the causes of urban crime and violence.
These are not problems that must exist simply because cities
exist. They are often the results of poor income distribution (a
few people with high incomes, many people with low incomes) and
bad policy. They can be overcome and in many places they have
been overcome.
|
