Despite the fact that the manufacturing sector of a city is a relatively “old” practice, it is directly correlated, and thus vital, for a city’s economic power to thrive. Within neighborhoods, like Williamsburg in Brooklyn, that are experiencing gentrification, according to Winifred Curran, manufacturers are at risk of displacement due to the local real estate market. (Curran 1429). But why is manufacturing so important to have this significant level of influence on the “greatness” of a city? To start off, manufacturing of good quality has been the path to development. In other words, it has been the principal strategy for prosperous nations for the past few centuries increase national wealth and power. From England’s Industrial Revolution during the 19th century to that of the U.S. during the 20th century, and now China, manufacturing is essentially the key to prosperity. However, the real estate sector of manufacturing, rather, how its role plays within the realm of gentrification, is “threatening the viability of these specialized and service-oriented manufacturers.” (Curran 1429) If gentrification is now a threat to the manufacturing industry on the local level because of the industry’s dependence on location – the industrial space, ideally an urban environment is imperative for a manufacturer’s success. In other words, it is not only the global competition, nor the market share that is threatening their existence, but more importantly, the real estate pressure for industrial space. (Curran 1429)
With economic prosperity comes international “Great Power.” The “Great Powers” nations are the ones that are in control of the bulk of the global production of manufacturing technology. The machinery is as important, if not more important, than simply having factories and producing more goods. In other words, In other words, the key to power is then, perhaps, is through the means of production. No machinery means no long-term sustainable economic growth. For example, until the 1950s, the U.S. had produced 50% of the world’s production, We currently produce less than 16%. The rift between the labor force and the deskilling of labor, anywhere of that matter, without a decent means of production, would consequently become more extreme.
Finally, manufacturing creates jobs. A whole lot of them. Most jobs, directly or indirectly, depend on manufacturing, therefore creating millions of high-quality, well-paying, long-term jobs. For example, the export industry for certain manufacturers in New York City provided a multiplier effect of 1.77 in 2001. This meant that every 1000 manufacturing jobs were able to create 777 jobs for other sectors of the economy. (1429 Curran) So if the manufacturing industry were to be displaced, then this would cause a massive series of downward spiraling effects on every facet of the industry, and the city would most likely cease to exist as anything remotely as influential as it is now.
Questions To Consider:
- In 1985, during a period of intense urban renewal in New York City, the Real Estate Board of New York took out advertisements in The New York Times to claim that “neighborhoods and lives blossom” under gentrification. Do you think is this ethical?
- Terms like “competitive progress” and “regeneration, revitalization and renaissance” of urban neighborhoods are commonly used to describe a process whereby physically distressed areas of a city have their buildings renovated and updated. Do you believe that this is just a way for the media to cover up the fact that the blue-collar working class is being erased?
