Principals of Sociology

Principals of Sociology

Chapter 15

Question #1

Today in the United States over “50 percent” of the population lives in cities and it is suggested that in 2050 it will be over “70 percent” (Essentials of Sociology). However, rural areas contain “75 percent” of the nation’s land but only have “17 percent” of the Unites States population living in it. People rather live in clustered areas where there is barley any room to walk rather than live out in the nice open farm land. Why is this? I think the reason for the fall in population in rural areas is caused by the lack of the need for farmers, natural disasters and the many opportunities that the cities hold.

Today the United States has become so industrialized and has created so many technological advantages to receive and make food that there is less of a need for people to depend on farmers for their food supply. Since there is a decline in the need for farmers it puts many people in the need for money because there are fewer opportunities in rural areas for jobs then are in the city. The city has some form of job to offer everywhere you turn, rural areas don’t it is a lot of land and most people depend on their agricultural skills to get them by, but rural areas actually have “high percent’s” in poverty rates due to the lake of opportunities(Essentials of Sociology). Also, I am not trying to suggest that there is no need for farmers at all because we do need some, but natural disasters over the years have wiped out many farms and crops and have left people starving. This is a huge set back or people who rely on their crops because then they have no food for themselves and their family, but people who live in the city don’t need to worry about that because there are so many stores to go to and buy all the necessities they need. I think a lot of people move from rural areas