Question #1
The 19th century was an era of great expansion and development to the city of Manchester. The town underwent great expansion both in terms of industrialization and population wise. One of the greatest successes of Manchester was the Industrial growth that was witnessed from early 19th century through to the 20th century. Manchester was a symbol of the Industrial revolution in whole country during this period. Some of the major Industrial breakthroughs that occurred in Manchester were mainly in the transport industry. They include the creation of the world’s first steam passenger railway that was built to facilitate transport between Manchester and Liverpool to enhance the cotton trade that was a major source of income to most Manchurians. It facilitated transportation of raw materials as well as finished products between the cotton mills in the City of Manchester and the port of Liverpool. The railway system would later be linked to other cities such like Hull and Birmingham.
Manchester was also a center of politics and social reforms in England during this period. It became the scene of the political tension in the year 1817. The tension was mainly due to the city’s lack of representation at Westminster. This led to a series of protests till 1832 when the Great Reform Act was adopted allowing the town to elect the first MP since the 1656 election. Manchester was also known for its intellectual and artistic life during this period. The rapid industrial growth meant a growth in other sectors as well for Manchester. New schools developed; new religions, new organizations and it was also a great attraction for educated visitors from all over the world.
Question #2
The problems that Manchester went through during the 19th century can be found in some countries in the world today. A case in point is Detroit, Michigan that has been faced with several problems lately. The troubles in the city are countless with the major ones being the high debt level that the city is currently. The city’s liabilities are over $18 billion as at now with creditors reaching the 100,000 mark. The city has undergone depopulation as population in the city has fallen from 1.86 million in 175 to just 700,000 people today. Reports suggest over 80,000 buildings in Detroit have either been abandoned or are insecure. This is also a city with the highest crime rate in the City with over 8% of crimes remaining unsolved.
However, there have been several efforts to revive the city lately with many stakeholders joining hands to transform Detroit. One of the ways that are being used is to market Detroit to investors and building cheaper homes for people to go back to Detroit. The city’s management should come up with better ways of paying up the debts that are owed by the city. One of the ways that have been suggested is to sell off some property of the city to facilitate the payment of these loans, but some argue this is not a long-term solution. There has also been an increase on efforts for the city to channel most of its resources into fighting crime that is on the rise in the city. Civil rights societies have been on the limelight championing for an overhaul of the security system in Detroit. The education system has also not been spared by this downfall in Detroit, and fresh efforts have been launched to improve education facilities in the city.
