The Metropolis and Globalization

Abstract

Global economic changes affect the shape of cities. But in this article, the author sees the reverse effect: The shape of the city influences the global economy. This article argues that the peculiar spatial form of the U.S. metropolis, by pulling on a six-link chain of social forces, drags down the global economy. In an ironic twist, this puts European cities in trouble. In brief, racial segregation degrades U.S. politics, leading to acceptance of market dominance, even with the resulting inequalities among whites. The market model is exported by U.S. global power and by ideological pressures. The resultant pressures reduce municipal budgets and stimulate migration, causing European cities to suffer the spatial dilemmas of the United States.