As inhabitants of the Earth, it is our natural born right to mold and shape the land that serves as our home. This land provides shelter for many people, but not all of them have a say in how it is used. David Harvey’s chapter on the exploitation of land touches on the modern exploitative nature of forced urbanization by the top tiered form of modern oligarchy. In today’s society this oligarchy is determined by income. Those with fatter wallets have their opinions heard because money talks in a society where poor people are neglected due to their inability to compete with richer contemporaries. Terms such as “gentrification” have been used to describe the process of displacing the unwanted to make room for the desirables, however this term has become somewhat of a euphemism due to the unforeseen consequences that accompany this eviction.
As David Harvey explains, capitalistic greed comes into play as a major advocate for urbanization. The potential profits that lie in serving the rich by stealing from the poor allow capitalists to encroach upon land that serves the poor. One particular case is quite tragic and comedic, that is the rapid urbanization of Abu Dhabi. Harvey points out that the capitalist surplus that has arisen from the oil wealth of the Middle east has converged into a wasteful land full of pointlessly extravagant entertainment for those that can afford it (such as the indoor ski slope in the middle of the Middle Eastern desert climate). It is clear that there is more than enough money in the world to help serve the entire population, but it is in the wrong hands.
Another problem with these cities is diversity. Jacobs argues that a typical city which is loved by its inhabitants is full of congestion, interactions with strangers, and has mixed uses. In my opinion, this diversity in the modern sense does not translate into reality. A congested city, like New York City is susceptible to becoming dirty, dingy, and abused. Interactions with strangers can quickly become filled with racial and social tensions due to the class divide that can stem from such a diverse population. In diverse populations, someone always has to be at the bottom, and often times and entire group of people can be stepped on by the more successful groups. Statistically, in such a diverse and large population a bell curve distribution can occur. Some people are at the lowest income levels, while others reap the benefits of being at the very top. Most people just live their lives as average Joes in a city that is too congested to be able to serve everyone equally. Of course, many cities like this have developed across the world, most notably Abu Dhabi in the most recent decade. In this city only the top tiered income and the upper average Joes can take their skis to the luxurious unnecessary ski slope in the middle of the desert.
Discussion Question: Can the effects of urbanization be molded to benefit an entire population and not just a top tiered group of people, separated by wealth?
Before:
After:
