Introduction
The importance of automobiles in a highly dynamic society is seminal in the existence and harmonious flourishing of a society. The world has been in a continuous process of evolution (Neumann, T., 2006). Mobility and communication have been revolutionalized with the advent of new channels of communication. Therefore, the argument of abolishing automobiles from the American society would be a controversial one. The society is highly dependent on vehicles and other machinery in propagating itself, hence any action that would sabotage the efficiency with which the ordinary man has been used to will lead to a crippled society, not mentioning the dire consequences on the economy. Perhaps this would be the beginning of a crumbling giant-from grace to grass would be the appropriate word to describe the detrimental effects that would be faced. Even though this would be the case, there are other advantages that would be achieved. The reversal only comes due to the fact that, the ruin would be greater than any advantage proposed, as shall be discussed in this assertion.
Banning automobiles from the American land will have quite a number of social problems to the folk of the states. It will mean that a total overhaul in the way things are carried out in normal day to day activities. There would be a big problem in the transport industry. The mobility of the people would be hampered and therefore access to work places will be hard. This would mean either moving out to settle closer to job areas or loss of jobs. This will be the advent of another social problem. There would be an increase in cost of living for families which may have moved to places where their economic status cannot sustain them. Another problem is that, people losing jobs and having restricted access to some social amenities would lead to stress. Stress will set in the people, whose effects can be detrimental in society. The result would be death and a disgruntled society. When children lack proper access to education, another futuristic problem would be bound to be experienced. Social crimes and other social problems such as increased prostitution would be the norm of the day (Neumann, T., 2006). People will also lose touch with their relatives or friends who are far away. The problem of cultural integration will also be faced. The immigrant communities might lose touch with the outside world. Their families which rely on their remittances back home will face had economic times. The average American person will feel disgruntled and unable to cope up with the new system of life. The shift from a society which is used to automobile to one without will be a hard one to come to terms. There will be problems in convincing the Americans to adopt such a proposition.
With the abolition of cars, there will be increased walking. This will increase the chances of integration among Americans (John, U., 2004). The interaction will lead to a more socially cohesive society unlike the present, where every man is for himself. Social classes and strata would also face a period of imbalance. There would be a problem of social class integration. Families which are rich have been used to a different lifestyle. Social class is sometimes gauged by the type of car one drives or the number of cars. When one is suddenly stripped of these, the likelihood of fitting into a society that does not support his established livelihood is minimal (Felix and Todd, 2002). This proposition may be faced with migration to avoid such eventualities from happening. This would lead to a more deconstructed society. Depopulation will eventually set in as members of society would want to go on enjoying the little pleasures of driving and being able to move at their convenience.
The cultural effect of banning automobiles on the land will also be felt to a great magnitude. The way of life of a people will significantly be impacted negatively. This would mean a total re-observation by people and deliberate efforts adopt different lifestyles (Kwoka and John, 2001). The times of doing business and working will be changed. Perhaps of significance will be the question of large scale farmers who use automobiles in farming. Abolishing the use of vehicles and other machinery that rely on their propulsion will lead to reduced agricultural production. A population that is underfed leads to a society that is in a quagmire of confusion and retaliation. There will be mass action against such a principle. Poverty will set in leading to a poor economic stand by the country.
The transport industry will be greatly affected. Transportation of goods to the market place will be tampered with. A lot of food will go to waste due a crippled transport system (Kwoka and John, 2001). The production industry will therefore be in great jeopardy. The economic powerhouse of a country is based on a good road transport and functionality in its industry (Kwoka and John, 2001). In case the vehicle industry of America is in a halted state, then the economic world superpower will be stripped off its tag. The economic misery will start slowly creeping in and eventually the rate of inflation will skyrocket to uncontrollable levels. Research studies by Felix and Todd, (2002) show that, the economic advantage of the automobile industry to the nation stands stiff among the most profitable ventures feeding up the national GDP.
The marginal returns from the automobile industry are very high, and contribute towards the national growth. Tax on gas and other fuel, parking fees and other stakes that are directly or indirectly connected to the automobile industry are some of the common ways in which the nation depends on the levies to make a fortune. Should automobiles be banned, therefore all the economic benefits associated with them will be forfeited. The question of whether Americans will adjust to fit into an environment free of automobiles is a hard one to come by for a society which is deeply rooted in the automobile industry. The Americans have been used to cars in almost every activity if their lives (Felix and Todd, 2002). It would therefore be hard convincing them to adapt to a carless life. Most of them will object to such proposal, and a policy that subjects its citizenry to such an economic state will be pushing a sword down the throats of its people. Taking a critical view and having evaluated the economic, social, and cultural upbringing of modern population, it is almost obvious that the ban will not hold. In fact it may be met with, spirited debates and possible mass actions against it.
Taking the argument a notch higher, the dawn of a society ripped off its mobility would hit me with a stupor. There are so many things that we carry out on a daily basis through cars. For instance, my education would be tampered with. In order to avoid this, it would mean that I move from where I reside currently to somewhere near my college. The little pleasures of driving to my buddies at pleasure would be washed away. Life would be a social mess. Imagine a country without cars. The restriction perhaps in other modes of transport will lead to chaos. There would probably an increase in congestion in the little available public transport. I can’t imagine life without the normal weekend outings in a family car. Those would just be some of the things that I would have to undergo in order to make it in an utterly reversed society.
With a banned presence of cars on the American highways, there would be less pollution to the environment (John, 2004). It is known that the automobile industry is one of the major pollutants in the urban setting. With a ban, the number of cars would be greatly reduced hence reduction in the pollution rates. This would mean that the health risks of the Americans would be secured and safer. Other benefits would be a reduced risk to accidents that occur on the highways. Many Americans struggling with weight issues would be forced to walk to places of work thus improving the rate at which calories are broken down. This will increase fitness and hence a more healthy nation (John, 2004). Social interactions among people would also be encouraged. This is because as people, walk, and mingle they will naturally talk and interact. This would lead to a more socially cohesive society, unlike the norm where cars have formed a barrier to peoples’ interaction.
Conclusion
A carless society will definitely lead to more disadvantages than the merits already discussed. The problem of transport and the shift or transition from a society that was used to cars to one without would be a socially detrimental one. The economic, social, and cultural effects on the American people would be a very big burden to bear. It is therefore preposterous to think of such a motion which would bring the American economy to a slumber. There are several results and consequences that would befall the nation. The social and economic mobility of the nation would be the hardest hit. As developed in this essay, the argument would not pass the litmus test. Its adoption would be the beginning of a deconstruction campaign for what we have strived to built. It therefore lacks logic of reason.
References
Felix, L., and Todd, L. (2002). Automobile Dependency and Economic Development. Canada: Institute for Science and Technology Policy, Murdoch University.Pp.2-27
John, U. (2004).Theory, Culture & Society. The System of Automobility.Vol.21.Pp.25-39
Kwoka and John, E. (2001). Automobiles: The old economy collides with the new. Review of Industrial Organization, 19(1), 55-55. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/209914427?accountid=45049
Neumann, T. C. (2006). Automobiles, the mass market, and the retail revolution of the early 20th century: A structural analysis of changes in American retail institutions, market power and labor demand. The University of Arizona). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, , 184 p. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/305352709?accountid=45049
