Claim: Governments must ensure that their major cities receive the financial support

they need in order to thrive.

Reason: It is primarily in cities that a nation’s culture traditions are preserved and
generated.

While I agree with the claim that governments should pour significant funding to the
major cities for the economic prosperity of the nation, the author’s reason to
support this claim is nonetheless problematic.

Take Taiwan as an example, most of Taiwan’s government agencies are located in the
major cities, such as Legislative Yuan, Executive Yuan, and Ministry of Economic
Affairs. Since these institutions are just like the vital organs to maintain the nation’s
well-being, the government should invest enough capital in order to keep them
operating smoothly. Furthermore, Taiwan’s GDP is largely counting on the economic
momentum of the major cities, where all the international business and market
transactions are taking place. The government should provide tax breaks or
government grant for corporations to attract international investment and create
more jobs, thus the capital infusion to the major cities is necessary.

However, the reason that a nation’s traditions are mainly preserved in the major
cities is doubtful. Most of the developing countries, including Taiwan, became fully
westernized after modernization, especially in major cities. For example, the Taipei
City, which is Taiwan’s capital, looked after America’s infrastructure since late
nineteen centuries. Up until now, most of the skyscrapers, the transportation, and
the government agencies are western-styled. The westernization also penetrates
every aspect of life in the major cities, from eating habits, the manner of dress, to
the ways of entertainment. Kids in the cities grows up eating McDonald’s Big Mac,
wearing Nike’s sneakers, and watching Hollywood movies on the weekend. The
traditional Chinese culture is thus abandoned in pursuit of the economic and
technological progress.
On the contrary, it is country that failed to industrialize can truly preserve the
traditional culture. For example, the traditional religious event such as Mazu
Pilgrimage still takes place in many countries, attracting thousands of devotees line
up to seek the blessing. Another invaluable cultural asset that is preserved by
countries is language. Instead of studying in bilingual kindergarten to learn English,
kids in countries grow up speaking Taiwan’s dialect, which is “Hokkien”. Thus, the
traditional language which already disappears in the major cities can be passed on
from generation to generation in countries. Moreover, when it comes to traditional
cuisine, only the vendors in countries best represent the Chinese food culture. Rice is
still the staple food in countries, and the breakfast is the combination of clay oven
rolls with soymilk. It is only with the traditional food in countries that one can feel a
sense of nostalgia to the past.
To conclude, the traditional culture is primarily preserved in countries, nonetheless
government still need to invest enough money in the major cities in order to boost
the national economic.