Detroit: the Ruins of an Automobile Empire

“The World capital of auto industry”, it’s written on all cars identification licensed in Detroit. It’s a mistake. I mean: out of date. Detroit is not it anymore. Its three automakers – General Motors, Ford and Chrysler – lost the empire. They have less than a half (46%) of market share in the United States.

The point is that the perspective is to lose even more. And then Detroit will be really bad. The city used to be the symbol of the great economic power of the United States is in ruins now. It seems like a war scenery. And – let’s say it clearly – it’s not because of the current financial crisis. Or, at least, it’s not the only reason. It’s the result of years, more than a decade, of bad administration of those three corporations.

Houses, buildings of apartments, hotels – besides constructions where production plants and factories used to work at – are abandoned. There are full blocks in the center of the city totally in ruins. A slum is being born in an empty land just seven blocks far from GM’s world headquarters.

The state of Michigan, where Detroit and many factories of the “Big Three” are located, lost half million jobs in the last 8 years. In the former world capital of cars – that’s the world capital of iron rust nowadays – 18,000 people became homeless, walking the streets. All over the state there are 80,000 homeless people. It’s still fall and it’s been between -7ºC and -10º at night.

There are abandoned houses on sale. The price is cheaper than a new car. And there’s no buyer! The situation is so bad that Sam’s Cash, an old pawn store – that also used to lend money – has closed its doors: eventual clients don’t have anything valuable to pledge: and the owners don’t have money available to lend.