CP - Detroit

Question 1

How was ‘reliance on a single industry’ part of Detroit’s decline?

Answer 1

• Decentralisation: manufacturers moving to the suburbs
• Strikes: refusal of blacks and whites working together
• Replaced people with machinery: tens of thousands of jobs lost
• Foreign competition: profits plummeted
• No diversity in industries
• Detroit historian said the city was doing so well the officials didn’t see the need to do anything else

Question 2

How was ‘lack of an efficient transit system’ part of Detroit’s decline?

Answer 2

• Public policies encouraged car culture: more money invested in building highways than public transport
• People mover: monorail built, criticised its not cost effective, didnt help people get around effectively
• Bus system: unreliable
• Light rail system: goes up the side where development is taking place, leaving other side in poverty
• Backed up by corporate donors

Question 3

How was ‘racial tensions’ part of Detroit’s decline?

Answer 3

• Tensions have been high since the 1940s: blacks moving to Detroit for automotive work
• White flight: middle-class whites moving to suburbs
• Riots: refusal of blacks ands whites working together, blacks rallying against their oppression
• Population decline: lost 363000 white residents, gained 182000 black residents
• Black population: today, a population of 82% black in Detroit, segregation, racism and hatred

Question 4

How was ‘impact of poverty’ part of Detroit’s decline?

Answer 4

• Less people paying taxes: struggles to maintain social services, non functioning street lights
• 36% of the population is below the poverty line
• 27.8% vacancy rate
• Police response time is 38 minutes
• Student enrolment decline: dropped over 50% and several school shut down
• Middle-class black families: moved for better schools and jobs
• Cities unemployment rate at 19%
• Lack of transportation system: prevented residents from commuting to jobs