Regional Interaction
Providence, Rhode Island, is located within one of the richest regions of the United States. It is also located within one of the most densely populated area of the United States. Because of this, the regional interactions play a progressively greater role in the success or failures of cities there. Cities within the northeast United States compete with one another to attract businesses, jobs, and a stable tax base. Providence, and cities like it, vies for dominance with cities like Hartford and Philadelphia. Because much of the Northeast now functions much like a megalopolis in terms of sharing goods and services, I believe the strength of Providence has come from its ability to provide a service that has diversified the Northeast.
Providence is noted a leading city in the United States in 1700s and early 1800s. However, by the 1830s it had begun to be surpassed by other surrounding cities like Boston and New York City. the population of Providence ceased to grow at such large rates mostly due to the growth restrictions places on the city by its geographic location and lack of ability to annex lands around it.
According to the Economic Base Theory, a strong economic sector will be based off of industry, other services which are being exported from the area. Providence prospered throughout history by relying on the manufacturing of goods that were exported: slaves, cotton products, weapons, jewelry, and other goods that relied on backwards linkages. It is now that manufacturing has declined in Providence that the city has begun to rely more heavily on non-basic activities. Within the healthcare and arts sectors, money is more likely being circulated around the city than being brought in from the region or abroad. However, tourism also provides a large economic base for the region, which has helped to bolster the economy in recent years. Because Providence can provide numerous draws for Tourism, and strong jewelry manufacturing and boat manufacturing sectors, they are able to reside in niche markets within the region as a whole. This allows Providence to be in less competition with larger cities, with larger economic bases. Diversity is the key!
It is not a simple task to dissect the regional interactions in a region as complex as the Northeast United States. Particularly with the global city of New York City, and the strongholds of Boston and Philadelphia, the wealth in the region is almost astounding. And yet, many of the cities that relied so heavily on industry and manufacturing are seeing major decline. We know this as area as the “rust belt” and it can include Providence, Rhode Island. The combination of analysis through two lenses allows us to see Providence in two different ways: through population size, and through economic strength. This has hopefully given us a better idea as to the types of regional events that have shaped the way that Providence evolved into today and will continue to evolve in the future.
Because the function of the city of Providence has shifted at a
number of points over time, the concept of city hierarchy may serve as a decent framework from which to view the physical changes of the city. Providence fits the definition of a regional metropolis or third order center because it plays several roles for the metropolitan area. Currently, Providence plays a role as a banking center, a political center, an educational center, a manufacturing center, and a retail and services center. All of these economic factors also play into the larger supply-demand system of the Northeast region. The study of the supply-demand patterns in the larger system may also give clues as to how Providence may change in the future.
Recent data has shown that unemployment rates in Rhode Island are the lowest in the nation. This may be attributed to the increasingly greater metropolitan dominance of Boston, New York City, or other second-order cities. This may also be attributed to the significant decline of the working-age population of Rhode Island. If the population of a state, or city, is increasingly composed of those who do not work, or even create an economic benefit to the area, the influence and function of that place should begin to fall, hypothetically.
So, hypothetically, even though Providence has seen an increase in population size, it may not continue to see economic growth, as the populations within the city become increasingly older. This, in addition to the high rates of poverty in the city, leaves Providence with a very large at-risk population.
Providence is noted a leading city in the United States in 1700s and early 1800s. However, by the 1830s it had begun to be surpassed by other surrounding cities like Boston and New York City. the population of Providence ceased to grow at such large rates mostly due to the growth restrictions places on the city by its geographic location and lack of ability to annex lands around it.
According to the Economic Base Theory, a strong economic sector will be based off of industry, other services which are being exported from the area. Providence prospered throughout history by relying on the manufacturing of goods that were exported: slaves, cotton products, weapons, jewelry, and other goods that relied on backwards linkages. It is now that manufacturing has declined in Providence that the city has begun to rely more heavily on non-basic activities. Within the healthcare and arts sectors, money is more likely being circulated around the city than being brought in from the region or abroad. However, tourism also provides a large economic base for the region, which has helped to bolster the economy in recent years. Because Providence can provide numerous draws for Tourism, and strong jewelry manufacturing and boat manufacturing sectors, they are able to reside in niche markets within the region as a whole. This allows Providence to be in less competition with larger cities, with larger economic bases. Diversity is the key!
It is not a simple task to dissect the regional interactions in a region as complex as the Northeast United States. Particularly with the global city of New York City, and the strongholds of Boston and Philadelphia, the wealth in the region is almost astounding. And yet, many of the cities that relied so heavily on industry and manufacturing are seeing major decline. We know this as area as the “rust belt” and it can include Providence, Rhode Island. The combination of analysis through two lenses allows us to see Providence in two different ways: through population size, and through economic strength. This has hopefully given us a better idea as to the types of regional events that have shaped the way that Providence evolved into today and will continue to evolve in the future.
Because the function of the city of Providence has shifted at a
number of points over time, the concept of city hierarchy may serve as a decent framework from which to view the physical changes of the city. Providence fits the definition of a regional metropolis or third order center because it plays several roles for the metropolitan area. Currently, Providence plays a role as a banking center, a political center, an educational center, a manufacturing center, and a retail and services center. All of these economic factors also play into the larger supply-demand system of the Northeast region. The study of the supply-demand patterns in the larger system may also give clues as to how Providence may change in the future.
Recent data has shown that unemployment rates in Rhode Island are the lowest in the nation. This may be attributed to the increasingly greater metropolitan dominance of Boston, New York City, or other second-order cities. This may also be attributed to the significant decline of the working-age population of Rhode Island. If the population of a state, or city, is increasingly composed of those who do not work, or even create an economic benefit to the area, the influence and function of that place should begin to fall, hypothetically.
So, hypothetically, even though Providence has seen an increase in population size, it may not continue to see economic growth, as the populations within the city become increasingly older. This, in addition to the high rates of poverty in the city, leaves Providence with a very large at-risk population.