Deindustrialization and the Rise of the Postindustrial City

            First of all, it has been discussed that during the mid of 20^th century, drastic declines in manufacturing careers were experienced by cities throughout the US, but especially in the Midwest and northeast. It can be said that a little part could be accounted to the rising mechanization of plants of industry for optimizing production and efficiency. Mainly, corporate decisions were concerned by the shortage in blue-collar jobs to close factories while relocating to outlying suburbs. Upgrading and expansion of the general multistory factory, however, would be not only expensive but difficult as well. Simply put, there wasn’t sufficient land for accommodating the need for modern designs of plants; the sprawling of one-story facilities was required with more than enough storage space for the production techniques of assembly-line. And in contrast, spacious parcels were offered by several suburban jurisdictions at a comparatively low cost (McGovern, 2016).

            Moving on, it has been described that the transformation of economy of Detroit in 1950s can be understood best from a perspective which is long-term. Over the duration of early 20^th and 19^th centuries, a track of centralization was followed by the American industry. Plant location was determined by the presence of raw materials, accessibility to transportation routes, and topography. Throughout the 20^th century, the process of relocation, downsizing, and closing of plants-deindustrialization accelerated. Advancement in industrial sectors, transportation, communication, rapid global economic competition, and the expansion of industries in low-wage sectors seemed to reshape the whole pattern of American cities with industries. Indeed, the most critical and significant force to reconstruct the economy of Detroit after the WWII was the advancement of automated processes in machine tool, auto parts, and automobile industries. In the late 1950s and 1940s, several industries of Detroit to die firms and small tools from huge automobile manufacturers, accepted automation with opened arms.

            Two important benefits were offered by automation to manufacturers; the increment in output was promised along with a decrement in labor costs. The objective of automation has been described as the best utilization of machines for producing high-quality and high-volume products at the costs that couldn’t possibly be lower. Even though advocates of automation exaggerated the usage while underestimating the costs, sometimes automation did have drastic outcomes. Still despite the occasional benefits or advantages, automation was initially a dangerous toll in the anti-labor arsenal of employers. Relying on automation, employers more or less attempted to change the control over innovation and production which had been gained by employees over the years and intricately rules of negotiated work. It was hoped by manufacturers that computerized and self-regulating machinery would decrease the sabotage, soldiering, and slowdowns which were led by workers along the line. 

            Furthermore, it has been described that the possibility of commercial decline was more of a threat than residential migration in central city. Revenue or sales from properties of lucrative business were required by municipal treasuries for compensating the deficit that occurred in residential slums which were no doubt tax-poor. If the handlers of office towers, stores, and factories continued to find a desirable location is city then the sufficient tax receipts of tax from such organization may hold the aging solvent of municipalities. Therefore, the needed anchor might be proved by commerce to maintain the safety of city while middle-class dwellers went to nowhere but suburbia (Newman & Thornley, 2011).

            In the end, the policy at present has been described that economic development after many decades continued to be an American cities’ central preoccupation.

References

McGovern, S. J. (2016). Urban Politics: A Reader . CQ Press.

Newman, P., & Thornley, A. (2011). Planning world cities: globalization and urban politics. Macmillan International Higher Education.