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William Lind, writing at The American Conservative, tells readers that without manufacturing to build on, cities can’t become rich, and therefore can’t revitalize. Lind asks why China has a plan for self sufficiency in manufacturing by 2025, but America does not. China is already on its way to “global semiconductor dominance.” Certainly America should pay attention. He writes (abridged):
We can make everything America needs in America—and much of it in Cleveland.
China has a plan to make everything it needs by 2025. Why can’t America have the same plan? After all, we already did it once.
Most New Urbanists are members of the coastal elite, which means most of them look on President Trump with loathing. Which is ironic, because their New Urbanism depends on President Trump’s trade policies.
The elites of both political parties are in the free–trade camp, for reasons perhaps not unrelated to Wall Street’s ability to fill the coffers of politicians who favor free trade. (On the other side there’s no money, just jobs.)
But without the Old Urbanism, where cities grew and prospered by making things, there is not likely to be much New Urbanism, at least not for very long. Baristas and personal trainers can’t afford the nice new apartments being built in the Halle building on Euclid Avenue.
New Urbanism will either build on a revival of American manufacturing or it will be building on sand.
Read more here.
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