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Growth of Cities
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Uses Cities and Urban Growth by Macionis and Parrillo to describe the growth of ...... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Uses Cities and Urban Growth by Macionis and Parrillo to describe the growth of cities over time.
Paper Introduction:
An Analysis of Factors Facilitating the Growth of Cities John J Macionis and Vincent N Parrillo make note of the factthat cities do not exist autonomously but are instead bound to the largersocieties of which they are a key element Cities as such throughoutman\'s recorded history have functioned as centers for trade finance government culture and social interaction Cities are complex units ofsocial organization which have flourished and declined in direct proportionto the prominence of specific societies or cultures At issue in
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Many such early cities, like Athens and Rome, symbolicallyrepresented much larger social structures and societies and controlled vastterritories outside of the city proper. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Macionis and Parrillo(2 6) noted that over time, newer cities have developed in areas that wereremote from the original, centralized urban developments of the past aspeople sought new environments with potentially more favorable climates oras new businesses and industries are established in formerly outlyingareas. At issue in thisessay is an analysis of ideas advanced by Macionis and Parrillo (2 6)regarding the factors that facilitate the growth of cities and promotetheir prominence. Parrillo (2 6) make note of the factthat cities do not exist autonomously but are instead bound to the largersocieties of which they are a key element. As societies developed traderelations and acquired wealth, they become more and more vulnerable toattack; consequently, cities located geographically on major trade routesin the ancient world and in the Middle Ages were often heavily fortified toprotect residents from invasion. Rome exhibits many of the keycharacteristics of early cities in that it contained a market, a forumwhere government was established, and a complex of monumental buildings,including temples, shops, warehouses, race tracks, amphitheaters, waterworks, and public baths. Topography as an element of geography therefore contributed tothe emergence of these cities which then became population centers as theestablishment of new forms of commerce took place. According to Macionis and Parrillo (2 6), geography helped todetermine where cities would be built. Macionis and Vincent N. 38) state that "all early cities were characterizedby some combination of favorable ecological conditions, some sort of tradeor food surplus, and a complex social structure (a fairly sophisticateddivision of labor and a power hierarchy)." Though there are certainly somevery real differences between the earliest cities based on size, powerstructure, theocratic or religious influence, and quality of life, theseearliest human developments were invariably the end result of populationaggregation and the emergence of increasingly complex social relationships. & Parrillo, V.N. This invariably contributes to the decline of some preexistingcities, particularly those older cities that no longer support industrialor manufacturing activities. as a major urban center forgovernmental, economic, and social activities. Macionis and Parrillo (2 6) argue that people cluster together toform cities for several reasons, among which the need for security washistorically of enormous significance. 56)." ReferenceMacionis, J.J. Many of the earlier citiesalso became the locus of religious organizations, temples, and shrines. For example, many of the earlycities have evolved over time into permanent urban enclaves, e.g., London,Athens, Alexandria, Egypt, New York City and are physically located onrivers or regions where harbors are found, thus facilitating the flow oftrade goods. (2 6). An Analysis of Factors Facilitating the Growth of Cities John J. In examining the first urban revolution occurring in the Near Eastand the Indus region as well as the Americas and China, Macionis andParrillo (2 6) suggest that these older sites support the contention thatcities were partially an artifact of specialized modes of production.Specialization created work opportunities within cities that were notavailable in the countryside. Cities and Urban Life. Over time, cities have proven that they are both vulnerable to manythreats and capable of capitalizing on new opportunities such astechnological advances and population increases. These cities, like London and Paris, and morerecently, New York and Miami, continue to grow and expand because theyoffer an amalgamation of many highly desirable and important features.Overall, "in many instances, cities have been the driving wheel behind thedevelopment of civilization (Macionis & Parrillo, 2 6, p. It was between 155 and18 that Macionis and Parrillo (2 6) state that "world cities" began toemerge as major regional and international centers for economic, cultural,and governmental activities. Many cities arephysically positioned in areas where agricultural efforts are less likelyto succeed. Around 8, B.C.E., hunting and gatheringsocieties also began to increase in size, leading many people to settle,take up agriculture, develop new trades, and establish what Macionis andParrillo (2 6) call increasingly complex social structures that wereorganized around the division of labor and a hierarchical power structure.Thus, many of the early cities, like their modern counterparts, werecenters of government and bureaucratic administration of larger regions.An excellent example of such an early city described by the authors isCatal Huyuk, created around 6, B.C.E. Security and geography are only two of the factors that help toexplain where cities are located and how they emerge. Cities as such, throughoutman's recorded history, have functioned as centers for trade, finance,government, culture, and social interaction. Macionisand Parrillo (2 6, p. It is also important to recognize that as these earlier cities grewin size and acquired wealth and power which was often vested in rulers ordynasties, they became centers of learning and culture as well. Cities are complex units ofsocial organization which have flourished and declined in direct proportionto the prominence of specific societies or cultures. Macionis and Parrillo (2 6) state that duringthe Middle Ages, many established cities began to decline and it was onlywith industrialization and the colonization of the New World that citiesbecame thriving centers for a variety of activities.
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