Triumph Of The City: How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier, And Happier (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
This is not a very deep book but it covers a lot of territory. The book starts with a look at Detroit which is a case study for what not to do when a city is facing problems. The author compares policies that were adopted in Detroit and compares them to policies taken in New York City. There's a lot to learn here.The book goes on to highlight how even cities with slums like Mumbai and Sao Paolo are better for the city residents than having the people stay in rural poverty and stagnation.There were some very new ideas in this book for me. I thought I would share one that struck me as eye opening. The author discusses how the lack of new construction may limit a cities growth. He points out how Houston, with no zoning laws, grows and grows and grows while the California coastal cities grow so slowly. He identifies an environmentalist attitude that looks at no growth in California as a win for the environment, but he suggests we consider that growth that does not happen here occurs in other places such as Houston. Growth in California coastal cities would be much more green than growth in sprawling, hot Houston. I think the book was well worth the read to learn about how much government policies impact city growth and how education really has such a strong influence on city growth. ''If the future is going to be greener, then it must be more urban''. Of the many subjects that Edward Gleaser covers in ''Triumph of the City'', environmentalism is one of the more important ones. His conclusion that cities are better for the environment than suburbs and the countryside at first may seem counterintuitive, but quickly becomes obvious: In dense cities, we walk more and live in small apartments that don't need much energy to be heated or cooled, whereas those that live in big, freestanding suburban houses use more energy for both driving and keeping their homes at a pleasant temperature. All those living surrounded by trees are causing nature more harm that people living in cities. This explanation why cities are better for the environment is intuitively clear, but Gleaser also provides ample statistical and quantitative evidence to proof his case. So urban density is better for the environment. Taking this into account, Gleaser worries about the environmental impact of big growing countries such as China and India. These, and other, countries are on a fast track to become more urban. Will they follow the American embrace of horizontal sprawl and a rush to the suburbs, or will they focus on vertical growth and urban density? Gleaser shows that impact on the environment will be tremendous if these countries choose the suburb model. It is of course easy for the west to say that developing countries should aim for high density urban centers, while at the same time doing very little to address greenhouse gas emissions in general and the growth of suburbs in particular: ''One important reason the West must shrink its own carbon footprint is to reduce the hypocrisy of telling India and China to be greener while driving our SUVs to the mall''. At present, the US risks being ''a nation of SUV drivers trying to tell a nation of bicyclists not to drive mopeds''.Gleaser offers some suggestions that may make suburban life less attractive and that may convince people to live in cities: reduction of tax-deductibility of mortgage interest, a carbon tax, higher gasoline tax. Applaudable suggestions, but unfortunately Gleaser doesn't mention the political infeasability of these suggestions: few people will vote for higher gas prices. What is missing is a set of suggestions that can resist massive voter objections.The environment is just one of the important subjects in this great book about cities. Another important one is Gleasers observation that the power of the city is in the density of people: Cities facilitate ''the urban ability to create collaborative brilliance'' and ''magnify humanity's strengths'' since ''ideas spread easily in dense environments''. We are social animals that thrive on human interaction. What is a better place to find that interaction than the city? Gleaser also offers several interesting insights on urban poverty: ''Cities don't make people poor, they attract poor people'' and ''public policy should help poor people, not poor places... A mayor who can better educate a city's children so that they can find opportunity on the other side of the globe is succeeding, even if his city is getting smaller''. Not everybody will agree with this last observation, especially those in developing countries who fear a brain drain of their most talented citizen to the West, but even if you don't agree with his conclusions you will find that in general many of Gleaser's observations on urban poverty are valid or at least form the basis for a good discussion.For me, these 3 subjects, environmentalism, urban density and poverty where the best parts of this well written book. In general, if you want to get a better understanding of how cities have come to be, how they work now and how they may develop in the future, than read this book, a pleasant mix of history, economy, culture, environmentalism and fascinating trivia. Enjoy!
What do You think about Triumph Of The City: How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier, And Happier (2011)?
Not my usual genre but excellent and informative. I found myself discussing it often while reading.
—Libby
dice muchas cosas que otron han dicho pero no les parabamos bola porque eran economistas
—rohini
This book made me understand why cities are the greatest thing to help spread ideas.
—Andrikq
Includes an excellent empirical complement to Yglesias's Rent is Too Damn High.
—chloro8
Clear, cogent, and powerful writing -- I cannot recommend this book enough.
—manmountain23
