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| The
Western City as the Reflection of the Human and Cultural
Geography of the Western Civilization
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The development of urban areas in Europe, the US and Canada
marked the rapid progress of the western civilization. The
unparalleled growth of cities in the epoch of industrialization
was accompanied by the consistent economic, social and cultural
progress, while the contemporary western society is predominantly
urban society to the extent that it is even possible to estimate
that the modern western civilization is the urban civilization.
In such a context, it is quite natural that a typical western
city reflects the human and cultural geography of the western
civilization, which is comprised by European countries and
North American states, such as the US and Canada. Hence, the
western city can provide a researcher with ample information
on the culture and socioeconomic life of the western society.
First of all, it should be said that the development of cities
in western countries, namely in Europe, the US and Canada
was the natural result of the dramatic and profound changes
that took place in western societies. In this respect, it
is worth mentioning the fact that western civilization was
traditionally oriented on the development of its cities as
the major centers of its cultural, political and socioeconomic
life. For instance, since the ancient epoch of the Roman Empire
and Hellenism, cities absorbed the major advances in socioeconomic
life, technology and culture. Today, cities have not only
preserved its function as centers of the western culture,
socioeconomic and political life, but increased their significance
even more.
To put it more precisely, today the life of western societies
is concentrated in urban areas. In fact, it is large urban
areas, huge metropolises that define the development of western
society. In this respect, it is even possible to speak about
certain similarities between western cities even if they are
located on different coasts of the Atlantic. For instance,
on comparing a large American city, such as the New York City
and London, it is possible to say that they are similar in
principle, though there are certain local peculiarities, which
are not really significant because they do not make both cities
really different on the civilization’s level. In other
words, on analyzing the human and cultural geography of both
cities it is possible to definitely estimate that they belong
to one and the same civilization. At this point, it is possible
to speak about the fact that the structure of western cities,
such as London and New York, reflect the social and economic
structure of the western civilization. For instance, there
are financial centers, such as the City and Wall Street, where
the financial activities of the US and the UK is concentrated.
These areas are closely associated with financial and business
centers and symbolize the economic advancement of the western
civilization for huge deals are made and enormous capitals
are circulating here. On the other hand, there is practically
always, the other side of the modern city life, which is far
from prosperous and rich business and financial centers, such
as the City. For instance, there is the East End or Harlem,
which, being relatively different, reveal the fact that the
modern western civilization is far from perfect and the rich,
posh parts of the western city may be contrasted by poverty
stricken neighborhoods where standards of life are consistently
lower, while the crime rate is consistently higher than in
rich parts of the city, which are financial and business centers,
or residential areas where representatives of the middle and
upper class reside.
At the same time, the entertainment industry is traditionally
widely represented in western cities. In this respect, sport
is probably the most popular in the modern western city. Wherever
the city is located there are stadiums and other sport facilities,
where people can not only practice sports but also entertain
themselves. The popularity of sports facilities reveals the
importance of the healthy lifestyle for the western society.
In addition, modern western cities are centers of the political
life of western societies. Each large city is a political
center of a particular region or even the entire country.
For instance, the White House or Downing Street are closely
associated with the center of the political life of the US
and the UK respectively. It is worth mentioning the fact that
the western city is also a place where the democratic liberties
and rights are basically observed for political protests,
meetings and other political significant events can take place
in large western cities.
In such a situation, the question arises: whether the western
city is a positive or negative achievement of the human civilization.
In actuality, it is hardly possible to give a definite answer
to this question. On the one hand, the western city symbolizes
the progress and achievements of western civilization. The
concentration of the population in cities contributed to the
considerable economic growth and the scientific breakthrough.
In this respect, it is important to underline that the industrial
and scientific revolutions could hardly be possible without
the urbanization and growth of western cities. It proves beyond
a doubt that both revolutions needed the huge human resources
because in case of the industrial revolution, the large amount
of employees was needed, which lived and worked compactly,
while, in case of the scientific revolution, it was necessary
to provide large masses of people with knowledge, form essential
skills and abilities in order to conduct the scientific researches
and make a considerable scientific progress on the bases of
well-educated elite and educated masses who could apply scientific
achievements in practice.
On the other hand, the growth of cities and urbanization of
the western civilization had a number of negative side effects.
First of all, the concentration of the population in urban
areas led to the overpopulation of cities. As a result, many
large cities faced a problem of a serious socioeconomic crisis.
To put it more precisely, the large masses of people that
migrated from rural zones to urban areas needed work and food
to survive. Obviously, western cities at first stages of their
development could not supply both, i.e. work and food, for
all people. As a result, the problem of unemployment and poverty
affected consistently the life of people in urban areas. As
the matter of fact, this problem persists till present days
contributing to the huge socioeconomic disparity between different
classes of the urban population. In actuality, a considerable
part of the urban population lives in poverty and, what is
more important, this part of the urban population is deprived
of absolutely equal opportunities with representatives of
the middle and upper classes. What is meant here is the fact
that the urban poor are deprived of the opportunity to get
a good education as well as higher education. Also, they often
face the problem of unemployment. Such a bunch of socioeconomic
problems leads to the high crime rates, which make poverty
stricken neighborhoods socially dangerous because of the high
crime rates and the growing dissatisfaction of the local population
with their socioeconomic position compared to the privileged
elite of the rich parts of the city.
Thus, taking into account all above mentioned, it is possible
to conclude that western cities reflect the human and cultural
geography of the western civilization. On the one hand, they
are socioeconomic, cultural and political centers, while,
on the other hand, they have serious socioeconomic problems
which threaten to the stability of western societies. In such
a way, western cities incorporated all the achievements and
controversies of the modern western civilization.
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