(Im)Migration as a trigger of some kind of a problem pops out too plus many times. America (somehow) has been a land of dream come true from the distance=from the home(land) for many (im)migrants. On the spot not so much. The city of the permanent underclass decodes the end of 20th century and 21th century situation in America and in Uk very skilfully. The same year when America was experiencing economic crisis, Little Sicily/Little Hell was 'discovered' as Chicagos main florishing loculus of bootlegging, hijacking, criminal gangs. This enclave was 'operated' by 15 000 ex-peasants who moved from Sicily to America. They changed their homeland for America and lived on as sicilians, but their offsprings did not succseed in keeping their 'ethnic baggage'. Living in two social worlds led to a 'cultural hybrid' or as Park suggested a 'Marginal Man'. Solidation of their 'ethnikos' was part of the price of the american bread.
American cities were captivating and escape worthy for many others also. Their desire for better life took a shape of Greektown, Chinatown or an original new born ghetto. The percentage of black people in the cities of America grew firmly during and after the World War One. Black people started to migrate from rural areas to urban areas, mainly to ghettos in the end of 19th century, this process was quite still til 1940. Then ghettos started to widen. Even Elvis-The King of rock'n'roll was singing about ghetto and its vicious circle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n3ebuL1cPA):'As the snow flies, On a cold and gray chicago mornin, A poor little baby child is born, In the ghetto.......' *
In the beginning of 20th century industry 'swallowed' rural inhabitants pleasingly. For example, 65 000 blacks from the rural areas went to Chicago during the period of 1916-1918, mostly to be servants of modern industry. After the war and return of white soldiers blacks situation got worse. The history has preserved plenty of facts and photos about the first incidents and riots, involving whites, blacks, intimidation, insolts, but conclusions are still not concluded, numerous theorys have been written and told but i am not in the position to pick the one which makes the most sence probably for me and to declare it in the characters of my writing.
Even tough blacks are suffering in the cities compared to whites the number of blacks keeps growing for some reason. For example in the beginning of ninties the white majorities were only 51% in Philadelphia and 58% in Boston. After this kind of black and white figures Gottdiener brings up the best question of his book:'Where did the white people go?' and with the same attractive simplicity he answers:'To the suburbs.'
Since the 1950 suburbanization has shaped the cities. By the 1970 most of the Americans lived in suburbs and in the cities - blacks.
Why?
Because they could not suburbanize so quickly mainly for poverty and racial discrmination which also comprehends 'collective action racism' and 'white flight'. In the case of the white flight inner city whites pay more to live in all white suburban communities. They are willingly willing to pay and with the same kind of will they are ready to use even threats of violance, racial zoning, restrictive covenants and policy instruments in the case of collective action racism in order to keep the blacks out and all that for the sake of eating blood-white bread in the white neighbourhood.
Another curiosity is that blacks on average have to pay more for rental housing than whites, but less for urban housing. But if poevrty is a squatter in ones wallet then there are two 'popular' choices slum or shanty town. Slum consists of everything inadequate (public services, housing, medical care, educational care...) as does shanty town but it has also lots of informal and unofficial somethings (house, means, materials...). Villa miserias come into being because it has affordable housing for poorly paid working class and for rural migrants. But where is need there is satisfaction waiting to be discovered. And so have done inhabitants of Villas miserias. Urban migrants have started small business enterprises and thanks to the global economy subcontracting helps to create new manufacturing jobs and to give a slice of global economic bread to shanty town residents. But when the new job creation is nonsufficient may emerge informal economy. It means that workers may be undocumented and working for barter in an unregulated factory. But as Gottdienr concludes, the poor does not just sit, watch and vegetate, but they are innovative and trying to support themselves. Innovative thinking and acting was also the keyword in the case of Little Hells bootlegging, corrupted innovative approach but still. Even Gottiener has in mind similar innovative managing, like illegal building and sex/drug market. But there are also breadwinners jobs which do not embrace dealing with drugs/prostitution, like production of food, making clothes, undertaking repairs (i imagine that repair of shoes to roofs)...it is still the land of many possibilities as long as one knows how to satisfie his/her 'hunger'.
*'As the snow flies, On a cold and gray chicago mornin, A poor little baby child is born, In the ghetto, And his mama cries, cause if theres one thing that she dont need, Its another hungry mouth to feed, In the ghetto...........Well the world turns, And a hungry little boy with a runny nose, Plays in the street as the cold wind blows, In the ghetto. And his hunger burns, So he starts to roam the streets at night, And he learns how to steal, And he learns how to fightIn the ghetto, Then one night in desperation, A young man breaks away, He buys a gun, steals a car, Tries to run, but he dont get far, And his mama cries, As a crowd gathers round an angry young man, Face down on the street with a gun in his hand, In the ghetto, As her young man dies, On a cold and gray chicago mornin, Another little baby child is born, In the ghetto. '
Since the 1950 suburbanization has shaped the cities. By the 1970 most of the Americans lived in suburbs and in the cities - blacks.
Why?
Because they could not suburbanize so quickly mainly for poverty and racial discrmination which also comprehends 'collective action racism' and 'white flight'. In the case of the white flight inner city whites pay more to live in all white suburban communities. They are willingly willing to pay and with the same kind of will they are ready to use even threats of violance, racial zoning, restrictive covenants and policy instruments in the case of collective action racism in order to keep the blacks out and all that for the sake of eating blood-white bread in the white neighbourhood.
Another curiosity is that blacks on average have to pay more for rental housing than whites, but less for urban housing. But if poevrty is a squatter in ones wallet then there are two 'popular' choices slum or shanty town. Slum consists of everything inadequate (public services, housing, medical care, educational care...) as does shanty town but it has also lots of informal and unofficial somethings (house, means, materials...). Villa miserias come into being because it has affordable housing for poorly paid working class and for rural migrants. But where is need there is satisfaction waiting to be discovered. And so have done inhabitants of Villas miserias. Urban migrants have started small business enterprises and thanks to the global economy subcontracting helps to create new manufacturing jobs and to give a slice of global economic bread to shanty town residents. But when the new job creation is nonsufficient may emerge informal economy. It means that workers may be undocumented and working for barter in an unregulated factory. But as Gottdienr concludes, the poor does not just sit, watch and vegetate, but they are innovative and trying to support themselves. Innovative thinking and acting was also the keyword in the case of Little Hells bootlegging, corrupted innovative approach but still. Even Gottiener has in mind similar innovative managing, like illegal building and sex/drug market. But there are also breadwinners jobs which do not embrace dealing with drugs/prostitution, like production of food, making clothes, undertaking repairs (i imagine that repair of shoes to roofs)...it is still the land of many possibilities as long as one knows how to satisfie his/her 'hunger'.
*'As the snow flies, On a cold and gray chicago mornin, A poor little baby child is born, In the ghetto, And his mama cries, cause if theres one thing that she dont need, Its another hungry mouth to feed, In the ghetto...........Well the world turns, And a hungry little boy with a runny nose, Plays in the street as the cold wind blows, In the ghetto. And his hunger burns, So he starts to roam the streets at night, And he learns how to steal, And he learns how to fightIn the ghetto, Then one night in desperation, A young man breaks away, He buys a gun, steals a car, Tries to run, but he dont get far, And his mama cries, As a crowd gathers round an angry young man, Face down on the street with a gun in his hand, In the ghetto, As her young man dies, On a cold and gray chicago mornin, Another little baby child is born, In the ghetto. '
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