Although quite short at just over 200 pages, I found this book a little trying to get through. Instead of a concise treatise on the subject filled with insightful observations one is instead offered reams of statistics (mainly in text form at that) on various aspects of slums around the world. Each chapter deals with a particular facet of the sociological phenomenon of slums from the mainly descriptive to overviews of government and NGO policies that have contributed to the rapid slumming of the global poor. No doubt the quantitative data is meant to substantiate the ideas presented, but it comes across as a policy or academic paper rather than a readable work of non-fiction that it purports to be, with such a title. Nevertheless the book does have its moments, especially towards the end where descriptions of the most deplorable living conditions in African cities of today have an almost mythic quality - with witchcraft and black magic thrown in. Other memorable sections for me were the depictions of extreme social divides seen in gated communites sprouting up in numerous countries as a response to slums; and the postulation at the end that preparation for urban warfare set in slums of the third world are the latest manifestation of the West vs East (or should I say North vs South) divide that first began presumably with the Crusades!

I was very deeply impacted by this book—it left me crying pretty violently numerous times, both as I read it and afterwards when I thought of it. Mike Davis writes about the situation of urban peripheral poverty in Third World Countries, illustrating their historical development and inhumane living situations (sanitary and physical dangers aside, Davis writes of diminishing solidarity, growing exploitation and competition; governments have also pretty much abandoned them, instead opting to criminalize these neighborhoods, and seeking to hide them, destroy them or relocate them) Davis draws on numerous other authors, studies and statistics to illustrate his point (though unfortunately, very few first-hand interviews). Unfortunately, this book offers no hope or no policy solutions, only a bleak vision of an impoverished and chaotic future (an appropriate question to ask though—is hope an appropriate timber of emotion when faced with the bleakness of the facts?). This book left me feeling both incredibly privileged in my situation, but also incredibly helpless. I hope that my raw emotions can be channeled into some meaningful action and direction. And perhaps this is what this book is most valuable for: opening your eyes to the reality of the world in such a way that it becomes very difficult to ignore or forget.

Devastating account of our world as we have allowed it to be made. Aside from its harrowing, comprehensive analysis of First World (conventionally and erroneously dubbed 'Third World') reality and condemnation of the IMF, World Bank, and Washington's scandalous Structural Adjustment Programs and privatization schemes, this book offers a brief but important critique on NGOs as the unwitting new facilitators of 'soft imperialism,' sapping the crucial potential of radicalism from the all-important class struggle.

Formal and informal housing, gentrification, slum ecology and mythology, corruption, neoliberalization, formal and informal labour, and the exploitation of women, children and the poorest of the poor. A must read.

I, like many of you, came to Mike Davis through City of Quartz, which, was revelatory. But I've been even more impressed by his other books and essays that I've happened to come across, and this one is no exception. If I were to assign books for citizens of the universe to read to understand "the situation" of humanity on our planet, this book would certainly be on it. Luckily, it's also a snappy read, so you rascals might even finish it and not use generative AI to bullshit the exam. But even if you tried that on me, the joke would be on you, because the exam....is life itself!

Also, please read Prisoners of the American Dream by Davis. RIP Mike Davis.

Staggering the conditions that people have to live in on this earth. There has to be a better way than what we have.

Davis provides a decent tour d'horizon of the problems associated with the rapid growth of cities in the developing world. Much of the book, however, consists of quotes from secondary sources — there is relatively little original analysis or reportage.

Mike. Davis. Is. God.

Take this with you next time you take a vacation to a tropical Developing country....

this man has done his homework. if you ever need to read a totally comprehensive, obsessively footnoted catalogue of the way that the first world is systematically screwing (plundering/enmiserating/slaughtering) the majority of the human race, right now, as we speak, read this.

with absolutely no recourse to hysteria or moral browbeating, he will rearrange your moral landscape. and if he doesn't, well. keep drinking the diet snapple.

Planet of Slums, Mike Davis, 2006, 228 pages, ISBN 9781844670222, Dewey 307.76, Library-of-Congress HV4028 D38 2007 College Library rm. 1191. No photos, except the cover.

The root cause of slum creation is not urban poverty: it is urban wealth. p. 95.

The state intervenes regularly to advantage landowners, foreign investors, elite homeowners, and middle-class commuters, to the cost of the poor. To maximize private profit and social control. p. 98.

Autonomous zoning commissions ruled by corporate interests are immune to local political control. They displace unwanted people to make way for projects to profit developers. The displaced peoples' new commute may cut their incomes by half. p. 100.

THE TREASON OF THE STATE

Industrialized agriculture and war forced many people into cities worldwide.

When industrialists and foreign investors want labor at all, they want it cheap. p. 59.

International Monetary Fund and World Bank Structural Adjustment Programs require termination of government services and privatization of everything.

"The state does nothing here. It provides no water, no schools, no sanitation, no roads, no hospitals."

Slums keep wages low. pp. 62-63.

Lip service is paid to the needs of the poor; budgets are spent on the well-off. p. 66.

The rich are criminally-undertaxed worldwide; taxes burden the poor. As the IMF demands. p. 68.


The have-nots have not /because/ the haves have it.

حقائق صادمة عن واقع قاس جدا لنماذج مختلفه من العشوائيات حول العالم.. ثم يتطرق لمتاهات الرأسمالية وخلافه .ثلاث نجمات ونصف

One of the author's best efforts, although I wonder how much the state of affairs in a place like modern-day Kibera can be linked to mid-1980's IMF policies. If the population of your country doubles every five years, does it even matter what economic policies you choose?

Or is this also the IMF's fault?