Why New York?

February 24, 2010

A friend of mine recently sent me an academic article called Urban Colossus: Why is New York America’s Largest City? about the history of New York City from an economic perspective.  The article explained some of the key factors that contributed to the city’s rapid growth and helped secure its place as a key urban model and international capitol.  Being a bit of a history enthusiast myself, I found all the facts outlined in the article and the timeline in which they happened very fascinating.

Urban Colossus’ overarching theme is that New York is a great model of economic manifest destiny because many things that would help any place become great ended up occurring in New York.  First and foremost, it was founded for commercial reasons by the Dutch, rooting its heritage in business, especially business related to shipping.  New York’s geographical form and location in relation to Europe made it an ideal port for both goods and immigrants.  The latter made New York the culturally diverse “melting pot” it still is today as many neighborhoods and cultural institutions focus on acclimating new Americans to their new lives.

Although New York became a manufacturing mecca during the height of its prominence as a port city because of the arrival of raw materials ready to be made into usable goods, neither of these industries really exist on the island today in their original forms.    However, unlike many other port cities that have gone through similar trials, New York made a very seamless transition to a service-based economy without going through a prolonged period of decline.  Two of the city’s historic industries, publishing and garment production, went through periods of evolution to become two of the things New York is known for: being an information hub and a fashion capitol.

As a brief literary aside, I think a lot of positive results can emulate from a place founded on principles such as those of New York.  Qualities like an open mind, a strong work ethic, and an innovative spirit can go a long way toward securing a prosperous future.