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I disagree. This nuclear-fear was just a cop-out. Most whites left the inner city, sadly, due to racism. In almost every major city in the 50's and 60's you see this trend. It wasn't right, but it was the reality.
What is truely interesting is the reverse is happening in many areas today. Many blacks have moved to the suburbs, and many whites have moved back into the inner city. The stats will show up in the 2010 census.
Racism is too simplistic of a cause. While racism was partially to blame for "white flight", there were many other complicating factors: rise of crime, deterioration of school quality, cheap mortgages, "redlining" by banks, exodus of industrial plants, easier transportation to distant neighborhoods (cars & freeways), etc.
Racism is too simplistic of a cause. While racism was partially to blame for "white flight", there were many other complicating factors: rise of crime, deterioration of school quality, cheap mortgages, "redlining" by banks, exodus of industrial plants, easier transportation to distant neighborhoods (cars & freeways), etc.
I think the largest and most obvious reason for White flight was the rise in suburbanization. White flight was occurring even in the 50s, before any civil rights issues came about. It simply increased with the end of legal segregation.
I think some might be overstating the affect overcrowding had on the decline of these cities. Sure, tenement housing and super high density was a problem in some cities. But, I don't think cities like Cleveland had this kind of problem.
I could be wrong, but I don't think Cleveland (and similar cities like Detroit and Chicago?) ever had much of that kind of density. From what I've seen, most of Cleveland's housing stock was built in the 1910's and 1920's, and is single-family and two-family detached houses.
IMO, the bigger factor is the size of the household. For example, in 1950, these old homes probably had a family of 5-10 people. (2 parents, some kids, and maybe grandparents) But now, this same house probably has a family of 2 or 3.
Strangely our families have gotten smaller since then, but our houses kept getting bigger. At one time it was almost expected brothers or sisters would share a room. Now every kid has his/her own room, his/her own TV, DVD, computer, etc. I thought my generation was spoiled, but it amazes me what kids expect now. It's almost impossible to buy gifts because instead of wanting stuff like Transformers or dolls they want elaborate/expensive equipment.
Maybe that's a bit off-topic, but it sort-of relates to the move to desiring more personal space.
On that note, do they even build houses with only one bathroom anymore?
I doubt it. I heard one agent saying it would be easier to sell a home with two bedrooms and two bathrooms than four bedrooms and only one bath. There might be some one-bedroom condos with only one bath still being built.
If you want to talk about land area, consider Jacksonville FL. It is the largest city in the lower 48 by land area. Population is also large, at almost a million (largest in FL). It is about six times as vast as Detroit. Since it isn't burdened by identification with declining industry, it might grow.
I hate Jacksonville. If Minneapolis went by Jacksonville standards we'd be a top-ten populated city in the US.
The most interesting explaination I have read is one that involves the Great Depression, WWII and an influential exhibit at the 1939 World's Fair in NYC.
By the time that the World's Fair had come to NYC, the US was pulling itself out of the Great Depression. The ten year economic ordeal was capped by the fantistic "vision" presented by GM with "Futurama". In Futurama, GM laid out its vision of a utopia enabled by the automobile. It intoxicated America as everyone worked to forget their decade of misery. Then, America found itself in WWII. By the time the war was over, the US (along with the rest of the World) had 16 years of pent up misery and hardship to overcome. The power of the Futurama exhibit was our roadmap to forgetting the past. Americans needed a change of environment to move forward.
So, who was able to make this "dream" possible for themselves? Well, in the late 40s and 50s, those people were much more likely to be white. Racism was institutional in our society and opportunity definitely favored white people. So, racism had a role. But, it wasn't the only factor that drove the rapid expansion of suburbia.
Agree - saying Phoenix is the 5th largest city or even Houston the 4th is a bit of joke considering the HUGE land area the city limits contain
As much as a place like Detroit gets hit - given that land area it very well may still be larger than both population wise
I don't understand the joke. Regardless of land area, the 2.3 million in Houston and the 1.6 million in Phoenix all live within the same political boundary. It will not be long before Houston replaces Chicago as the third largest city and Phoenix makes a run to replace Chicago as the then fourth largest city.
Midwestern and Eastern cities are no longer what people want, with the exception of New York, of course.
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