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Detroit was the 10th-largest city in the US in the 2000 census with a population of ~900k, but was the 18th-largest in 2010 with a population of ~700k. It was
by jfarmer 13y ago
Detroit was the 10th-largest city in the US in the 2000 census with a population of ~900k, but was the 18th-largest in 2010 with a population of ~700k. It was the 4th largest in the 30s and 40s and reached its peak population of approximately 2MM in the 1950s. Since then it has been losing approximately 200k residents (think: taxpayers) per decade like clockwork.
So any story about Detroit has to explain that. There are systemic things at work and there have been for over 60 years, although I agree "set up to fail" has a rather conspiratorial tone to it.
- specialist 13y agoI agree "set up to fail" has a rather conspiratorial tone to it. Sure. By default or by design, intent is unknowable and unactionable. I only judge outcomes.
- jbigelow76 13y agoIf intent is unknowable then you can't say Detroit was "set up" as that would require divining supposedly unknowable intent. Judging only outcomes means the failure of Detroit is as likely to be the result incidental vs intentional action.
- anigbrowl 13y agoI think he's using the phrase in the sense of 'destined to fail,' which doesn't necessarily imply a belief in an unshakeable destiny, it's just a comment that failure was inevitable/predictable with those policies. Of course, hindsight is always 20/20.
- specialist 13y agoWow, geeks objecting to belief in cause and effect. My apologies. I was laboring under the impression that it doesn't take great insight to see how defunding and defrauding and disempowering Detroit created the circumstances which led to them declaring bankruptcy. Forgive me for not singling out individuals to blame, though there is plenty to share. Nor playing along when trolls use imagined conspiracy theories to dismiss objective reality.