What Is Wrong With Detroit?

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The seeds of detroit's industrial decline were, i think, set in this very large, very large, firm intensive industrial mono r. It is so natural and so attractive to plunk down a new skyscraper and declare cleveland that has come back or to build a mono rail. For some reason, a you get short term headlines, even when this intera structure is totally ill suited for the actual needs of the city. The whole mark of declining cities is that you have an abundance of structures and intra structure relative to the level of demand in that city.

Edward Glaeser of Harvard University and author of The Triumph of Cities talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about American cities. The conversation begins with a discussion of the history of Detroit over the last century and its current plight. What might be done to improve Detroit's situation? Why are other cities experiencing similar challenges to those facing Detroit? Why are some cities thriving and growing? What policies might help ailing cities and what policies have helped those cities that succeed? The conversation concludes with a discussion of why cities have such potential for growth.