Question

what does the terminology shock city mean?                        why did Asa Briggs (1970) utilize this terminology?          is it correct to call Detroit, Michigan a failed city?              give evidence to support your answers to the preceding question. identify and discuss at least three reasons for Detroit's decline.

Answer 1

Shock city means an urban place experiencing infrastructural challenges relating to massive and rapid urbanization.

Asa Briggs coined the term “shock city” to discuss a city in a historical period which saw amazing growth, technical progress and had to deal with deep concern over emerging problems.

The Detroit Michigan is a failed city because the decay set into the city in the early ’50s. The decay set in due to lack of urban planning as most politicians and the government left the city in the hands of the industrialists. The city was predominantly dependant on the automobile industry. The problems started with the start of industrialization and aggravated when the automobile giants started facing competition. The problem was increased by racial discrimination and racial tensions.

The three key reasons for Detroit’s decline are as follows:

• The high amount of racial discrimination: The black workers migrated in big numbers to work with the large industrial group. The whites discriminated against the black migrants by renting houses at expensive prices and many areas blacks were not allowed to live. The city also faced two major riots in 1943 and 1967. Black employees became frustrated with segregation, abuse, and inequality. The houses burnt in riots in 1967 were never rebuilt.

• The decline in industrial output and high political corruption: The large industries and automobile giants found manufacturing outside the country more competitive and economical. The city was left to devices of the industrialist with will very little town planning or infrastructure development. The city saw 325,000 residents leaving Detroit between 1950-1970. The tax based diminished and the city was unable to sustain itself. The houses were abandoned. City services were reduced which increased poverty and crime rate. The city population fell from 1.85 million in 1950 to 701,000 in 2013.

• The automotive industry faced stiff competition and moved its base outside the country: Detroit economy was heavily dependent on the auto industry. The auto industry faced stiff competition from German and Japanese Companies. Detroit decline began because of the structural change in the auto industry, which led to the loss of thousands of manufacturing jobs over the decades. The 3 big auto giants and their business practices did not support the development of the area.

To conclude a highly corrupt bureaucracy, industrial giants with no concern for urban development and racial discrimination are largely to blame for the decline of Detroit.