Urbanization Trends

Urbanization Trends

Introduction to Sociology/SOC/120

August 5, 2011

Farming and living off the land was once a necessary part of life. With the invention of mass produced food and the many other benefits of urban life many people are making the move. Urbanization is a term used to describe the mass transition that groups of people make from rural living to urban life. Urbanization has negative effects on the environment such as consumption and depletion of naturally occurring resources and also production of earth damaging toxins. Urbanization also comes with social strife such as increased demands for health care and education. Often this migration from rural areas to urban areas results in wide spread environmental damage, crime, and poverty.

Within the country of Mexico lies a prime example of urbanization; Mexico City. A report posted in 2005 shows a huge influx of farmers moving to urban areas; in 1970 42.6 percent of Latin American and Caribbean people lived rurally, by 2001 the number dropped to 24.2 (L. America, 2005). This migration is generally created by the increase in factory work within the city as well as new farming equipment that requires little man power; people turn to the cities for work and income. Urbanization in Mexico City has resulted in devastating damage to preserved and protected land. The pollution and run off from the city is threatening to destroy the farmlands surrounding the city (Aguilar, 2008). Furthermore, urbanization in Mexico City has increased crime and poverty due to the increased population, further increasing the desire to migrate north to the United States.

References

Aguilar, A. G. (2008, June ) Peri-urbanization, illegal settlements and environmental impact in Mexico City. Cities, (Vol. 25). (3), 133. Retrieved August 6, 2011, from Gale Power Search via Gale: http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/ps/start.do?p=GPS&u=uphoenix

L. America under growing threat of Urbanization: report....