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The Tragedy of Detroit: From Bottom-Up to Bigger-Is-Better
Acton Institute Powerblog

The Tragedy of Detroit: From Bottom-Up to Bigger-Is-Better

by Joseph Sunde • October 9, 2013

“Detroit developed best when it was bottom-up,” says Harry Veryser, economist and professor at University of Detroit Mercy. “When small communities, small parishes, small schools were formed… that’s when Detroit prospered.”

In a recent discussion on what makes cities flourish, Chris Horst and I argued that cities need a unique blend of local community action, good governance, and strong business to thrive. Cities like Detroit have monstrous and complex problems, and the solutions will not come from additional top-down tweaking and tinkering. Rather, any such solutions will stem from complex networks of strong families, life-giving churches, healthy businesses, and intersecting institutions, all of which is furthered when governments rightly relate to their citizens.

Veryser’s overview is quite helpful in tying these pieces together, as his history of Detroit’s problems includes at least some discussion of each. The path to flourishing in Detroit has long been disrupted by the increasing momentum of planners and rent seekers. To save the city, it will require reorientation from top back to bottom, from centralization to spontaneous, and throughout the process, the church bears a heavy responsibility to offer prophetic voice and appropriate discipleship.

“The community has to develop itself; it’s organic,” says Veryser. “It’s not going to come back with government planning; it’s going to come back when government gets out of the way and decisions get made at the local level again.”

(HT: Mark Perry)

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Joseph Sunde

Joseph Sunde

is an associate editor and writer for the Acton Institute. His work has appeared in venues such as the Foundation for Economic Education, First Things, The Christian Post, The Stream, Intellectual Takeout, Patheos, LifeSiteNews, The City, Charisma News, The Green Room, Juicy Ecumenism, Ethika Politika, Made to Flourish, and the Center for Faith and Work. Joseph resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota with his wife and four children.

Posted in News and Events, On Call in CultureTagged business, Business/Finance, cities, civic engagement, civic virtue, community, detroit, entrepreneurship, flourishing, good governance, Harry Veryser, politics, This Is Our City, Veryser

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