Does money help urban life?
There is evidence that a widespread desire to live in the city does not reflect high quality of life for its residents. During his recent successful mayoral campaign, Conservative party candidate Boris Johnson was able to tap into widespread perceptions of increasing levels of crime and insecurity, dysfunctional road and public transport infrastructure and lack of affordable housing. It is increasingly apparent that urbanisation, and internationalisation of major urban centres, drives dramatic -– and probably long-term -– changes in the social and physical structures of cities: • Because increasing demand and relatively restricted supply have driven up the cost of real estate, individuals -– and families -– are forced to live in increasingly restricted spaces. • This highlights, and exacerbates inequality in inner-city areas, particularly as the influx of high net-worth individuals leads to residential enclaves, often in relatively close proximity to areas of substantial social and eco
