Does the URBANISATION is more POSITIVE POTENTIAL or Negative POTENTIAL Essay

Does the URBANISATION is more POSITIVE POTENTIAL or Negative POTENTIAL - Essay Example In the end, however, I argue that these are issues that can be addressed through efficient governance, sound urban planning and policies on sustainable resource use. Nelson (2006: 2) challenges the conventional assumption that rapid urbanization is indicative of progress. He cites the case of Africa as evidence that urbanization cannot be linked to development. This is because urbanization in Africa was the result of inequitable allocation of state resources, which were in turn driven by global market processes. As a consequence of this, the rural areas suffered deeply. Rural poverty and rural hunger had spiked up. (Nelson, 2006: 3). To quote Nelson, â€Å"Resources directed toward agriculture have been very small and of these most have been directed toward large-scale farming of export crops such as tobacco, not only causing environmental damage but also food shortages and impoverishment of small farmers. (Nelson: 3)† But these have long term consequences too. Because the rural areas are the suppliers of food for the entire country, impoverishing the rural areas diminishes capacity to produce food and ultimately lead to food prices going up. Although this is true, there is also validity in the assertion that urbanization has many positive possibilities as well. According to Hammond (2007:2), â€Å"if cities create environmental problems, the also contain the solutions.† Indeed, countries that have attained economic development have done so under a model that invariably included urbanization. One of the clear effects of urbanization is the increase in wealth, and this will ultimately lead to benefits that will affect the rural areas as well. The second aspect is the social costs. Nelson talks about how rural to urban migration has â€Å"transferred poverty to the cities†. (Nelson, 2006: 3) This has led to urban areas bursting at the seams, unable to manage the volume of people coming to find jobs, shelter, and