Executive Committee Meeting 10-15-24

President's Report

Page 83 of 95

MOTOR CITY

Motor City It's fair to say that Detroit had all the ingredients needed to produce a flourishing automotive industry, to the extent that it has shaped the identity, sociology, and topography of the city, extending even to its nicknames: Motown (Motor Town) or Motor City . A source of wealth and economic growth, the car has been a blight on Detroit too. Now the city is learning from the past and looking toward the future. Technical Domination The idea of the “horseless carriage” came about in Europe, but it was in the US, and in Detroit in particular, that it really took off in the 20th century. One reason is that, in addition to its natural and logistical resources (water, wood, steel, hard-working labor, proximity to trade routes, etc.), the city counted among its residents folk like Ransom E. Olds, Henry Ford ( T p. 73) , and the Dodge brothers, hands-on go-getters

From 1.85 million inhabitants in 1950, the population fell to less than 714,000 in 2010. Toward Renewal In July 2013, the City Council declared bankruptcy with an astronomical debt of 18.5 billion dollars. It was not the first time this had happened in the country, but it was certainly unprecedented for a city of this size. To save whole tranches of the urban landscape from sheer dereliction, the White House allocated $320 million to the refurbishment or destruction of abandoned buildings. And while some would escape demolition, such as the famous station, it was merely thanks to a want of resources. Despite the walled-up buildings, which stand like scars on the cityscape, and areas that are all but abandoned, construction sites are today sprouting up all over the city center, renovations are in full swing, and businesses are thriving, all of which is spurring local creativity. A relatively young population has returned to the neighborhoods of the center, following the classic pattern of recolonization, with squats, artist studios, and young people looking for low-cost housing. The driving force for this redeployment is the idea of living, consuming, and working in the same place. This generates a virtuous cycle, with developments leading to further developments, and success to greater success.

suburban household. Against this backdrop, it was only logical that the country’s first shopping mall opened here, in the suburb of Southfield, in 1954. Detroit's population was being drained towards its suburbs, and fewer inhabitants meant less revenue from taxes. Less tax revenue meant less money available, leading to the gradual abandonment of infrastructure. Having taken a big hit from the oil crisis of the 1970s, and deprived of public aid during the Reagan years, the city sank inexorably. In 1973, the election of Democrat Coleman Young, the first African American mayor, sparked distrust among the White population and the business community. In the 1980s, crime soared, giving Detroit a reputation that it would struggle to shake off. The 2008 financial crisis dealt another blow. The automotive sector, which had been relocating for several decades without developing significantly, was on the verge of collapse. Only thanks to the injection of funding by the federal government in 2008 and 2010 would it survive. The ruins of Detroit, the underlying poetic power of which has inspired many an artist, have been photographed and depicted in works that are both spectacular and terrifying in terms of what they have to say about sunken civilizations . A symbol of this decline: Michigan Central station, once a symbol of the city’s power, was closed in 1988 and left to rack and ruin.

with brilliant business acumen , at the cutting-edge of technical and commercial progress. The Americans were the first to use interchangeable parts, in the firearms industry and for agricultural equipment, for example. In 1913, Henry Ford introduced the mobile assembly line, tripling productivity and lowering costs. The purchase price of his beloved Tin Lizzie, the Ford T, was ten times less than that of a European car. During the 1920s, American car manufacturers were in fierce competition : from 108 carmakers in 1923, this number was whittled down to only 44 in 1926. By the late 1930s, only the “Big Three” (Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors) survived, releasing new models every year. From Prosperity to Crisis In the 1940s, Motor City was booming. The Big Three controlled 90% of

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Land of the Automobile The car is an integral part of the American Way of Life: no need to get out of your vehicle to deposit a check at the bank, collect your prescription medication, grab a meal, or watch a movie. While most major cities have efficient public transport networks, if you live anywhere else having one or even two vehicles is a must. In 2022, there were 908 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants in the US (compared to 668 in France and 221 in China). While Americans account for only 4% of the world’s population, they own 30% of cars sold worldwide. Despite problems with traffic, pollution, and the price of gas, their love affair with the automobile continues. In urban environments, however, there is a real interest in self-service bicycle programs.