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What No One Wants to Admit About Housing Politics

palladiummag.com · 6,315 words · saved by 1 readers

The majority of people now live in urban areas. Current projections expect that figure to increase to 68% by 2050. This is an enormous and rapid shift for a species that has spent the last 10,000 years in primarily rural and agricultural settings. By comparison, Roman civilization, known for its many magnificent cities, never achieved urbanization rates above 40%. The link between urbanization and civilizational development is inescapable. If we have a civilization at all, it is because of migration into cities. What is the secret to the city’s draw and power? As cities continue to function as the center of activity in both the developing world and advanced economies, they will continue to draw in billions of people seeking jobs, capital, higher culture, education, and refuge from the stasis and dullness of the hinterlands. The case for the city is straightforward: it concentrates talent, demand, resources, and activity. This concentration creates economies of scale in power, organizat

Garin Chadwick/Brooklyn, New York The majority of people now live in urban areas. Current projections expect that figure to increase to 68% by 2050. This is an enormous and rapid shift for a species that has spent the last 10,000 years in primarily rural and agricultural settings. By comparison, Roman civilization, known for its many magnificent cities, never achieved urbanization rates above 40%. The link between urbanization and civilizational development is inescapable. If we have a civilization at all, it is because of migration into cities. What is the secret to the city’s draw and power?

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