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Mike Davis: Planet of Slums: The Prevalence of Slums (Chap. 2)

Posted on August 11, 2010 by filth739

Appropriately titled “The Prevalence of Slums,” chapter two illustrated an exhausting array
globe. This book is very different than City of Quartz, instead of people fighting for heighten
this case, people are just fighting for housing. Like City of Quartz, however, are the power sy
outside world, seem to be there to help the poor find housing (in the slums) but really are ju
and set the people further back.
Mike Davis tells about various slum villages and of the options of people who live in them. S
exponentially over the last 30+ years and unfortunately the conditions are only getting wors
overpopulated and inadequately maintained as commissioned by those in power. In many c
to choose between housing or work, work or safety.
Should people choose not to live in the established slums, they could “settle” elsewhere. The
squatting increased, non-real estate owners thought they could save money by squatting–as
landowners, property developers and law enforcement, they actually paid the same amount,
would if they had just bought property in the slums. Upon this realization they took to the m
and fields to set up (very temporary) shop.
Slum dwellers were forced to either live in despair and unhealthful conditions, finding work
become homeless and live off the scraps of others. As John Turner said, “Housing is a verb”
one according to Davis.
This chapter definitely sheds light on the way much of the rest of the world lives, though the
States it seems that the “first world” gets the worst of it. Many slums lacked clean water, elec
other basic needs. I think that to tackle this issue, we need to address the social problems th
property holders that impose them.
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me to do this in a well organized and straight forward way. The only thing that I would like to see m
specific statistics. This chapter presents some very shocking statistics that really bring to light the a
of the slums, as this chapter is named for.
I especially like the last statement of this entry, on what we need to do to tackle the issue of these sl
up a very good point, and I agree that something needs to be done to stop these slums from growing
have seen some of the slums or shantytowns first hand. In high school, I was fortunate to take a trip
some of these shantytowns myself. They are a very depressing place to be, and wish that lifestyle up
reality is that millions upon millions of people are forced to live under these conditions. I strongly a
says about changing things for these people, but I don’t think that anything will happen until the ba
Nothing will change unless we are proactive about this problem. As stated above in this entry we m
problems in order to stop them from growing.
Overall I liked this entry, and thought that it did a good job of describing the chapter. Like I said, m
inserted into it would have made it a little better but for the most part I really liked it, and enjoyed r
chapter itself.
Reply

ricejam3 says:
August 12, 2010 at 11:11 pm

I thought this was a good summary of the chapter. I do feel that there should have been some sort o
the reading. Also, I think there should have been more emphasis on Davis’s very foreboding tone. D
South America to China to the Middle East and presents statistics that are just extremely depressin
in, Davis makes you feel that the increasing levels of global poverty could never be stopped. Davis g
are living in cemeteries and garbage dumps and that the number of people living in these slums is r
poor that live within the city are exploited by “piratical entrepreneurs and corrupt politicians.” Even
house such abject poverty don’t want to acknowledge it. Davis states that, “Accurate statistics are in
because poor and slum populations are often deliberately and sometimes massively undercounted b
growing level of poverty going to be solved when the countries that house a lot of the world’s poor w
makes you feel that it is inevitable that these countries will divulge into complete civil strife as the r
exploit the poor. It is also important to note Davis’s condemnation of global neoliberal capitalism a
increasing number of slums. Stating that, “neoliberal capitalism since 1970 has multiplied Dickens’
exponential powers.” Although I agree neoliberalism has caused the rise of poverty I do not think th
socialism, an economic theory Davis would no doubt want in place, could solve this problem. This c
world is in a very precarious situation with no solution in sight.
Reply

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