Cate's review
The Economy of Cities
by Jane Jacobs
Cate's review
The Economy of Cities by Jane Jacobs
Cate's review
rating:
recommended for: those interested in economics, urban studies, etc.
Jacobs begins this book countering the claims of accepted anthropology/archeology theory that cities are built on a rural economic base. Jacobs instead suggests that much of what is considered "rural work", and what rural economies have to offer, is in fact exported from cities to the hinterland. This is no small claim since practically everyone disagrees with her. She illustrates her thesis well with specific examples throughout history ranging from the ancient Turkish city Catal Huyuk to the innovation of the brassiere by Ida Rosenthal in the 1920s to the Post-WWII Japanese economy. What all of these examples have in common is how new work begins, and Jacobs' claim is that new work thrives in city economies. This is because cities are inefficient, and this inefficiency allows for innovation--effecient economies (such as those of company towns) are inherently prone to economic stagnation because they are not import replacing.
The book is interesting because it part...more
The book is interesting because it part...more
