COVER STORY: "Suburbia: It's not just in America anymore; U.S. now a model for how to handle growth—and what to avoid," by Haya El Nasser, USA Today, 16 April 2008, p. 1A.
Starts off with a Chinese delegation studying a subdivision for elders in Phoenix. Why? China is throwing together new cities like crazy, and there's a lot of elders piling up, so why not study somebody with a lot of experience in planning out suburbs?
Turns out China's not the only one. Basically, a lot of New Core/Seam States do it, to include Pakistan, Argentina, India, Russia, Vietnam. All very natural, because we're talking almost explosive rates of urbanization all over the emerging market universe.
And before you get too scared: on average, the consumption footprint actually decreases with urbanization on a per capita basis, because you tend to share so much infrastructure and energy.
One region that very much copies the U.S. is Latin America. Turns out people want suburbs there for all the same reasons we do.
So yeah, another way to think about China is America's 1950s for both the suburbia build-out and the freeway building spree.
Comments (3)
About two years ago Fei's family took for for Chinese barbeque at a place in the northern-eastern suburbs of Beijing. Partly suburban (golf course, the houses you'd expect to find around a golf course, etc.) and partly rural (farmers on bicycles herding sheep). A beautiful life if you live in those houses (and don't need to commute too far!)
Posted by dan tdaxp![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.thomaspmbarnett.com/weblog/nav-commenters.gif)
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April 30, 2008 9:33 AM
This is wonderful and sad (to me atleast). Wonderful that people are upping their standard of living AND using less resources at the same time. Sad in that they are choosing to do it through suburbs, cause we all know the world needs more Homeowners Assocations and nosy neighbors that do not clean up after their dogs. ;)
Posted by Matt R.![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.thomaspmbarnett.com/weblog/nav-commenters.gif)
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May 1, 2008 7:04 AM
I think it is excellent idea to compare China to America's past, to wit:
a. Between 1800 and 1900, the clear mission of the United States is to become the regional hegemon. This, it accomplishes.
b. Between 1900 and 1990, the clear mission of the United States is to preclude the rise of another regional hegemon. This, also, is accomplished.
Posted by Bill C. | May 2, 2008 9:08 AM