Jade Chansawat – 699141

9A Slum Clearance

In a society that is demanding in its pursuit of modernism, it becomes apparent that the issue with changing cities revolves heavily around the ambition of slums and their general existence. Some may argue that such deprived urban regions are detrimental to the progress and prosperity of a city in its holistic endeavours. In fact, the very terminology that is associated with slums is of a negative nature, illuminating the idea of disease, squalor, illegality, violence, instability, destruction and poor economic value.  However, these stereotypes lack conviction when considering the populace that occupies the ‘favela’, who are rich in culture and undiscovered aptitude. Thus the presence and persistent establishment of these underrated slums, alongside its ignored reality, is a fundamental part of a city’s diversity and fruition economically. For it is not a matter of replacing the slums, but rather a matter of implementing interventions that focus on excavating the hidden value amid the slums.

The existence of urban poverty accuses cities of disparity and ghettoization. It therefore becomes conclusive to many that the growth of cities into megacities is to be condemned, as they attract a populous that is deemed as poor. However, this is not the case. Throughout the explorations of Glaeser (2011), it becomes evident that he places value on the prevalence of slums in cities. He argues that they assist in the differentiation between cities that harbour true urban strength.  In this sense, cities will either lead the impoverished out of a state of squalor or further isolate them.

Thus the growth of a metropolis is an indication of its affluence. A thriving metropolis will inevitably attract the poor who hope to obtain benefits that their previous homes lacked. Such benefits include affordable housing, jobs that require minimal skill, and public transport.  It is therefore the underpinning promise of urban life that assists the poor in seeking freedom in the bustle of conurbations, particularly sovereignty from rural challenges (Glaeser, 2011).  And it is this unspoken promise that fashions the rapid development of informal slums, established on steep hills or ditches that are prone to life-threatening conditions (See Image 1)(UNHSP, 2009).  Regardless of these truths, as slums grow in size, so do the endeavours of the people in a city. Throughout the 1870s and 1880s, an emperor ruled Brazil and slavery was still legal.  At this time, approximately forty per cent of the population of Rio were in slavery, working in rural areas that enforced agricultural labour.  To escape this ‘plantation life’, alongside the growing prevalence of abolitionism, escapee slaves in Rio formed shantytowns (Glaeser, 2011).  Although these dwellings were decrepit in appearance, they personified a culture of freedom and hope for the future.

Image 1: Riocinha, the largest hill slum in Rio, Brazil.

The condition of slums is not appealing, nor is it beneficial in terms of sanitation. However, slums itself attract people that are vital in the overall economic status of cities, and therefore should be replicated rather than entirely eradicated (Hussain, 2014).  Many policymakers aim to create laws that opt to see the abolishment of slum settlements.  According to BBC News (2012), Rio politicians planned to clear slums and relocate roughly 13 000 families across 123 areas of favela before the 2016 Olympic Games. This however was not a rational idea and the plans have now been extended to take place over a span of ten years. In this case, paved neighbourhoods will substitute the city’s slums. The practice of such drastic urban change is a direct result of modernist urbanism theories that lack regard for the overall economic value of slums in growing metropolises (Hussain, 2014).  The slums within cities exemplify affordable housing, accessibility to transport, and labour opportunity, forced by the overpopulation and density of metropolises that require innovative means to stay relevant. It is for these reasons that slums attract a mass of those whom are disadvantaged. As outlined by Glaeser (2011), urban poverty can profit the poor and the nation as a whole. Patrick Kennedy, born in 1823 in Ireland County, lacked educational prospect and worked on a potato and grain farm that belonged to his older brother.  Following the potato famine in the region, Kennedy followed his friend to the city of Boston and acquired a job with his only non-agricultural skill in making barrels. Boston therefore offered accessibility to economic prospect, in which Kennedy could sell his labour skills to an employer with capital (Glaeser, 2011). Evidently, this is an example of a thriving symbiotic relationship, where the capital-less labourer intertwines with the capital-rich employer (Glaeser, 2011).

Further, Glaeser (2011) iterates that slums should not be a place of default desolation, nor should policies attributing areas heighten poverty.  Backlash in governments creating policies to help the poor can be soon through the United States and England. These two countries setup Empowerment Zones to bring job opportunities in poor areas. However, this required $100 000 in tax breaks per work opportunity (Glaeser, 2011).  In the 1990s, a social experiment called Moving to Opportunity distributed various vouchers to single parent families, in attempt to put poor people in better-off environments. Shockingly, it was found that the families who moved to higher-end locations were happier, but not necessarily stable in terms of finances. This is because the ghettos were situated in close proximity with jobs.  Thus the Moving to Opportunity study really highlights the fact that governments should not focus on relocation, but rather focus on bringing about local initiatives (Glaeser, 2011). In 2004, the Harlem Children’s Zone in New York founded a charter school, the Promise Academy. Entry into this school was by chance and overall saw a positive impact across the board of young students academically. Distinctly, this is an intervention that is focused on benefitting the slum-dwellers, in which urban poverty is not magnified by policy, and the poor are able to acquire lifelong skills that will benefit the city and its future.

Image 2: The Promise Academy, Harlem, New York.

Conclusively, the slums are an integral part of cities. It is difficult to encapsulate their importance, as well as address the ongoing issues that accompany the undertakings of slums.  Nevertheless, it can be clearly noted that the slums are home to an innovative people, full of culture and belonging. The attraction to a city and the ghettos emulates freedom of movement, reflects the capability of a city, and creates opportunity for interdependent relationships. These aspects can only be strengthened by policy that focuses on the people that occupy the slums, rather than the space itself. As seen through the charter school in Harlem and the life of Patrick Kennedy (Glaeser, 2011), the solution to urban problems, in relation to slums, can only come about through the provision of opportunity. 

References:

Glaeser, E. (2011). What’s Good About Slums. In Triumph of the City (pp. 69-91). London, United Kingdom: Pan Macmillan.

Hussain, I. (2014). Slums should be replicated not cleared. Retrieved from http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/opinion/09-Dec-2014/slums-should-be-replicated-not-cleared

Rio plans to clear slums ahead of 2016 Olympic Games BBC News Latin America & Caribbean. (2012, March). Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-10783219

Rio slums. [Online Image]. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.rioonwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/1990-Rocinha.jpg

The Promise Academy. [Online Image]. Retrieved from http://wac.adef.edgecastcdn.net/80ADEF/hcz.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/H_CarouselImage5.jpg

United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UNHSP). (2009). Planning Sustainable Cities: Global Report on Human Settlements 2009. London, United Kingdom: Earthscan.