Interesting that you mention the rural-to-urban migration of the
populace. I can't speak in general terms but can speak to the
specifics of what I see here in Iowa. Mechanization has completely
altered the population demands of farming. For corn and bean farming
here, we need about one person per 1500 acres. You can actually get
away with less if you have your own storage bins to hold the crops. It
takes a half a dozen people to support one modern combine when it is
going full-speed.
In Iowa, we've had a massive population decline over the past 100
years in the rural areas. Meanwhile the bigger cities continue to
grow. Overall, our population has largely remained the same. The
bigger cities have large employers drawing the workers. Des Moines had
insurance, banking and publishing industries anchoring the economy.
Cedar Rapids, Quad Cities, Dubuque, Clinton are manufacturing. Iowa
City supports the prisons through supplying them with college
athletes...
People move to the cities under the misguided thinking of opportunity.
The fact is, that for any given amount of population there is
generally the same amount of opportunity. The only difference is that
in rural Iowa, you just have to drive farther. How about pay scales?
The cities cost more to live in which offsets that increase in pay.
Like I said, I'm talking about the geographic locality of Iowa. Some
of this is true elsewhere, but there may be variations where you live.
It does suprise me too that those building materials of Nathan's
didn't grow legs. Even here in puritan pure Iowa, that stuff would
have been repurposed within hours. Cyclone Fencing keeping people out?
No problem. It too would have disappeared. I'm not saying that Iowans
are crooks, but the law of averages says that even in a low density
population there is still a vast number of people willing to seperate
you from your possessions.
AG
--
Ken Norton
ken@xxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.zone-10.com
--
_________________________________________________________________
Options: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/listinfo/olympus
Archives: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/private/olympus/
Themed Olympus Photo Exhibition: http://www.tope.nl/
|