Impact of Networks and Infrastructure in the Making of Metropolis - Term Paper Example

Impact of Networks and Infrastructure in the making of Metropolis Infrastructure This can be termed as a permanent installation or an underlying foundation of features of a system or an organization in a place, city, state or region. It can also be referred to as facilities and systems which are used in serving a region or location, which can be transportation and communication systems among others. Infrastructure can relate to a building, equipment or personnel in a region; an example can be schools, factories and roads that are integral to the economic growth of a region. Infrastructure helps in making work easier which will lead to a city’s growth. A city’s growth is mostly determined by the infrastructure within and around it; without this, it can be quite chaotic and slow.1 Social Capital This term refers to institutions, norms and relationships that lead to the formation of a better society and improvement of social interaction between individuals. Social relationships are important as they lead to a growing economy through a better understanding of things like the economy and society. This assists in enhancing economic growth, developing communities and helping the society members to commit themselves to each other. Commitment can be in terms of bonding, bridging as well as linking social capital. A better social factor in the city among people leads to an economic growth as they are informed on what’s happening around the city. 2 Skyscraper This is a tall building with many floors which are erected in a continuous manner. It is mainly designed for commercial and office use, and it does not have a defined height or the number of floors.3 When constructing skyscrapers, the tubular design is used in order to make them stronger and more stable as their height keeps on rising. A good example is the Burj Khalifa building which is huge and incredibly tall. One way of identifying a mega polis is to look at the number of skyscrapers in that particular place; cities in different regions have different types of skyscrapers either for entertainment, manufacturing or for living. Gentrification This term refers to changes that occur when wealthier individuals move to earn or acquire property in low income and working communities; it is an increase in one thing and a decrease in the other. For instance, in places where income keeps on rising but family sizes keep shrinking, gentrification is likely to occur.4 In cities, the consequences include relocation of low income families, increased economic growth and expanding upper and middle classes. Question 2: Impact of Networks and Infrastructure in the making of a Metropolitan Networks and infrastructure aided the movement of people from one place to another; through improved transportation systems (like air and road transport), growth was facilitated in cities. There was also increased trade and rural-urban migration which were triggered by better and more efficient transport systems.5 The growth of political parties and increased political influence led to the expansion and realignment of borders and creation of more boundaries. Through politics people could influence the growth and development of cities, because they could enact policies that defined the way forward for various regions in Europe. The creation and maintenance of law and order played a crucial role in the growth of cities. Through law and order, cities were able to develop as there were no crimes which would terrify individuals. The police force (like the Metropolitan Police) managed to provide people with a sense of security that, in its turn, allowed them to engage in productive activities without worrying about what would happen to their businesses or properties. Question 3: Impact of Shifts to Growth and Development of Cities This refers to high birth rates and death rates to lower birth rates and death rates to a country. Shifts to growth greatly influenced the transition from pre-industrial to industrialized economies. This can be explained through the use of the demographic transition model.7 The theory was developed in 1919 by Warren Thompson who had observed changes in birth rates during and before industrialization. As a result of this, cities continued to grow and population increased. There was an increase in rural-urban migration, driven by people who moved in search of employment and better living standards and conditions. The need to move led to the development of facilities like hospitals, schools and also basic infrastructure like roads.8 Through this, there was a population increase in the cities, leading to economic growth.9 Question 4: Social Life in the City and the Urban Personality Most of the people living in cities cannot access basic social amenities and lead modest lifestyles, but they still prefer to remain in urban areas where they can secure employment and enjoy services that they would not be able to access in the rural areas.10 Social life for the urban personality is kind of life in which one’s living can be termed as average, because most things are average and one can also access social amenities. Cities are mostly used in state leadership positions, and they also experience more population increase as compared to rural places. Question 5 The Social City A social city is a city which is defined by the kind of social life that is characteristic of it; this social life is basically represented by entertainment, social facilities and other basic amenities. Era of Rapid Industrialization and Urbanization Urbanization in Europe occurred gradually, stemming from an increased demand for commodities and services, increased rural to urban migration and growing populations all over Europe. People moved to urban areas because they wanted access to infrastructure and social amenities which would improve their living standards. Though it led to an improvement in the setting of infrastructure, it also created a negative impact in the long run. There was a tremendous increase in the population growth in the cities as there were no plans put in place to manage large populations concentrated in one place. There was a rise in crime and other social diseases like prostitution; this was as a result of people wanting to satisfy their needs while coping with the pressure of living in cities.12 Currently, it is speculated that an annual population increase of 0.6% the urban areas of Europe can double the population going into the next century. Urban Bias Theory The manufacturing improvement in the urban areas of Europe led to the increased rural to urban migration.13 Most of the European states’ industrialization process started from agriculture, defined by a period in which humans participated in their own development. Growth, though slow at the beginning, grew and led to congestion in urban areas. Politicians also had a role to play because they were the ones responsible for the creation laws, policies and regulations that influenced expansion and development. For example, Otto Von Bismarck actively contributed to Germany’s development through the war in 1871. This war allowed them to develop other industries that were directly or indirectly related to that particular conflict.14 Urbanization in most of the European countries can be said to have been influenced by their involvement in independence, the evolution of the wheel (which has been improved significantly) and also the improvement of the transportation system. A majority of European nations participated greatly in the pre-colonial period, something which allowed them to develop their nations.15 This can be attributed to more resources being made available to their industries and labor that was obtained at practically no costs. Notes 1. Brunn et.al, Cities of the world: world regional urban development, 27. 2. Cavin, Urban planning, 18. 3. Vries, European urbanization, 1500-1800, 12. 4. Cavin, Urban planning, 29. 5. Brunn et.al, Cities of the world: world regional urban development, 32. 6. Vries, European urbanization, 1500-1800, 22. 7. Cavin, Urban planning, 45. 8. Brunn et.al, Cities of the world: world regional urban development, 35. 9. Vries, European urbanization, 1500-1800, 34. 10. Brunn et.al, Cities of the world: world regional urban development, 39. 11. Cavin, Urban planning, 47. 12. Vries, European urbanization, 1500-1800, 44. 13. Brunn et.al, Cities of the world: world regional urban development, 46. 14. Vries, European urbanization, 1500-1800, 67. 15. Cavin, Urban planning, 58. Bibliography Brunn, Stanley D., Jack Francis Williams, and Michael E. Bonine. Cities of the world: world regional urban development. New York: Harper & Row, 2003. Cavin, Andrew I. Urban planning. New York: H.W. Wilson, 2003. Vries, Jan. European urbanization, 1500-1800. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2004. Read More