Urbanization has taken ahold of many regions as the technology boom continues to progress. The cities that have long dominated America, such as New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago, are watching Colorado Springs, Jacksonville, Salt Lake City and Tacoma grow exponentially, which, in turn, spreads urbanization. It begs the question—will the expansion of cities bring forth a second wave of urbanization that will further the socioeconomic divide and hinder the middle class?
An overwhelmingly accepted interpretation of urbanization is that, beyond merely indicating the shift in rural life to town or city life, it alludes to migration in hopes of a better life. Dating back to the industrial revolution in the 1820s, the growth of a city implied the growth of society’s standard of living. Perhaps during the infancy of the megacities in America, none foresaw the social repercussions of such rapid development.
It’s worth acknowledging that the industrial revolution brought forth rapid development in the manufacturing sector, and soon cities became a centralized hub of revenue. Accompanying this boom were the unaddressed problems such as child labor, poorhouses (government funded buildings for the needy) and unsanitary living conditions.
Arguably the most critical development that came of this revolution was the birth of the middle class. While child labor, poorhouses and sanitation have improved, the socioeconomic divide has widened, and the middle class is now somehow grasping for stability. According to Northwestern Mutual’s 2018 Planning & Progress Study, 68 percent of Americans consider themselves middle-class. The annual salary range for middle class Americans is between $26,000 to $78,000.
To put that into perspective, the average rent for a one-bedroom in New York City (including all five boroughs) is calculated at $3,100. Referring to $3,100, that means it would cost $37,200 annually just to live in the city. As a result of the high cost of living, it is increasingly difficult for middle class families to survive.
This leads one to question where the middle class fits in. As our current “knowledge revolution” continues to supply America with ample innovations that further the development of cities, the middle class is being inadvertently forced into the lower class.
Due to the rapid increase in innovation, the standard cost of living has risen, but wages haven’t grown enough to accomodate the increase in prices. The reason there is a widening gap between classes is because of the knowledge gap. At the current rate of growth occurring throughout America, not enough people are equipped for today’s jobs. Among the top six industries with the highest demand, software and IT service related jobs are needed. Unless the target market is recently graduated students, the bulk of the working class is not equipped for jobs in an industry that is still developing.
There is the Knowledge Gap Theory proposed by a professor of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota, Philip J. Tichenor, which states, “As the infusion of mass media information into a social system increases higher socioeconomic status segments tend to acquire this information faster than lower socioeconomic status population segments. Hence the gap in knowledge between the two tends to increase rather than decrease.”
In turn, the wealth of the upper class continues to grow while the middle and lower classes struggle to break through. If this separation continues to widen, then the divide between the rich and poor will become even more prominent.
The continuing development of cities should be seen in a positive light because it is exciting. It implies innovation, progress and prosperity. Yet, it’s dreaded by those living in up-and-coming cities. While it’s important to look towards the future and all the possibilities it entertains, it’s necessary that America accounts for the people that carried the nation to its current state.
