Spatial Inequality in Mexico City: From Cardboard to Castles

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Spatial Inequality in Mexico City From
Cardboard to Castles

• Chapter 9

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I. Geoterms

• rural decline - Worsening economic conditions in
  the countryside, including rising unemployment
  and growing poverty
• spatial inequality The unequal distribution of
  wealth or resources in a geographic area, so that
  some places are richer than others
• standard of living The overall level of comfort
  and well-being of a group or a country. People
  in developed countries generally have a higher
  standard of living than people in developing
  countries.
• D. Urbanization The movement of people from
  rural to urban areas, resulting in growth of
  urban areas

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II. Geographic Setting
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A. A City of Wonders The Aztec Capital of
Tenochtitlan

• 1. First settlers established settlement in the
  Valley of Mexico thousands of years ago.
• 2. The grand city of Tenochtitlan had more than
  1 million people in the Valley.
• 3. Standard of living for the Aztecs was high.
  City residents had plenty of food from farming,
  fishing and trade.

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B. A Bustling National Capital

• 1. The Spanish Conquered the Aztecs in 1521
  established Mexico City
• 2. Blending of Cultures can be seen throughout
  Mexico
• 3. Urbanization has increased in the last 50
  years. Mexico City has 18 million residents.

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III. Rural Decline causes Urban Migration
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A. Farmers struggle in the Countryside

• 1. Only 15 of land is usable. The rest is too
  rocky or dry.
• Communal lands or ejidos are large plots that are
  owned by several farmers
• a. farmers are struggling to compete with large
  farms
• b. many small farmers are unemployed and are
  living in poverty

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B. Migration to the City Brings Renewed Hope

• 1. Seeking better wages and education for their
  kids many have migrated to the city
• 2. Rural to urban migration highest in 1970s and
  1980s. problem in Mexico City has caused some to
  migrate to the U.S.

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IV. Urbanization Creates New Problems
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A. Too Many People, Too little land

• 1. City is not growing as fast because migration
  has decreased and family size has decreased.
• 2. Suburbs are still expanding up the sides of
  the Valley of Mexico
• 3. Mexico has to deal with many problems related
  to overcrowding

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B. Pollution, Poverty, Crime

• 1. Air quality is very unhealthful in the
  capital because of smog
• 2. Residents fear for their safety because
  overcrowding and poverty typically lead to crime

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V. City of haves and have nots
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A. The have nots struggle to survive

• 1. Slums are run-down makeshift neighborhoods
  where newcomers to the city are forced to live
• 2. Many of the working poor work more than one
  job to get by

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B. The haves live well

• 1. ¼ of the population of Mexico City is Upper
  or Middle class
• 2. The wealthiest are landowners, run large
  businesses and many live in estates
• 3. The middle class typically lives in
  apartments in the center of the city they have
  struggling recently because the economy has been
  on a downturn

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VI. Beginning to Think Globally
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• A. Spatial inequality does not exist only in
  large cities, but in any area where difference in
  wealth affect how people live.
• B. Standard of living is sometimes measured by
  life expectancy, level of education, per capita
  GDP