Urban Affairs

SHUOYU XU

Economic Inequalities Between the Rich and The Poor in Cities

This paper evaluates on the inequality of living conditions between the rich and the poor living in urban areas across America. The report goes further to explain the causes for such difference in living conditions and possible remedies that can be introduced to lower the divide. All across America, there is a huge gap between the rich and the have-nots; However, this gap is more evident in urban areas compared to other regions. The report chooses to focus on the city of Chicago, Illinois (Tyler & Fagan, 2008). The main aim of the study is to try and understand the causes of the economic inequalities in the region and the ways to curb it. Statistically speaking, one can see that the rich have moved to the northern part of the city away from the poorer areas of the Southside.

Living conditions in the south are worse compared to the north side. The south-side is a heaven for gang-related violence (Poesen-Vandeputte & Nicaise. 2014). A majority of the experts explain that due to lack of employment, the youths are forced to turn into a life of crime to provide for their families. Cases of gang-related violence have been increasing in the course of the last five years (Tyler & Fagan, 2008). The northern side has the privilege of enjoying safe neighborhoods. Police response time and services are provided quicker in these neighborhoods hence combating crime.

The education system has also come into question as being the primary cause of the economic divide evidenced in Chicago (Poesen-Vandeputte & Nicaise. 2014). Experts argue that the infrastructure in public schools, or lack thereof, in the poor neighborhoods of the city have contributed to the level of unemployment. These because the schools produce graduates who are half backed with skills that do not measure up to those of their peers from the north-side in the job market.

Factors like the distribution of wealth, human capital and income per household contribute to the inequality evidenced between the two neighborhoods. With the Northside having a large number of school graduates guaranteed of a job, they have significant human capital. This assured the region of having more income per household making an uneven distribution of wealth (Poesen-Vandeputte & Nicaise. 2014).

The study of these inequalities seeks to answer the following questions;

• What is the main contribution of economic differences in urban areas?

• What are the living conditions in the different neighborhoods of the rich and the poor?

• How does the education impact the distribution of wealth in the neighborhood?

In conclusion, it is evident that there are gaps between the rich and the poor. Understanding the cause of these gaps will go a long way in narrowing these gaps; Therefore, help reduce crime and raise the living conditions of poor neighborhoods in the urban areas. It will also allow for an equal distribution of wealth and resources.

References

Kawakami, N., Winkleby, M., Skog, L., Szulkin, R., & Sundquist, K. (2011). Differences in neighborhood accessibility to health-related resources: A nationwide comparison between deprived and affluent neighborhoods in Sweden. Health & Place, 17(1), 132-139. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2010.09.005

Poesen-Vandeputte, M., & Nicaise, I. (2014). Rich schools, poor schools. Hidden resource inequalities between primary schools. Educational Research, 57(1), 91-109. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2014.983722

Robbins, R. (2014). Wealth and the wealthy: Exploring and tackling inequalities between rich and poor. Journal Of Poverty And Social Justice, 22(1), 77-79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1332/175982714x13910760153686