As this novel so beautifully describes the constraints of migrants residing in the urban slums of Mumbai, development does not benefit everyone. In ‘Development and the City’ it is well iterated that India holds two-thirds of the world poor with a continually increasing population that is expected to surpass that of China in the next decade. Unfortunately this means that the current problems are only going to become even more exaggerated as development is unable to keep up with urbanization. Although there has been progress “in which many of India’s old problems- poverty, disease, illiteracy, child labour- were being aggressively addressed” many others have not, including “corruption and exploitation of the weak by the less weak” (28). Therefore, it would appear that the longer India avoids investing in their poorer urban population through development in infrastructure, heath care and education, the worse the situation will become. In the novel this question is asked, “Was there a soul in this enriching, unequal city who didn’t blame his dissatisfaction on someone else” (20)? From what can be seen from both ‘Behind the Beautiful Forevers’ and ‘Development and the City’, the current answer is no, though hopefully the future will change this outlook on life by those residing in
As this novel so beautifully describes the constraints of migrants residing in the urban slums of Mumbai, development does not benefit everyone. In ‘Development and the City’ it is well iterated that India holds two-thirds of the world poor with a continually increasing population that is expected to surpass that of China in the next decade. Unfortunately this means that the current problems are only going to become even more exaggerated as development is unable to keep up with urbanization. Although there has been progress “in which many of India’s old problems- poverty, disease, illiteracy, child labour- were being aggressively addressed” many others have not, including “corruption and exploitation of the weak by the less weak” (28). Therefore, it would appear that the longer India avoids investing in their poorer urban population through development in infrastructure, heath care and education, the worse the situation will become. In the novel this question is asked, “Was there a soul in this enriching, unequal city who didn’t blame his dissatisfaction on someone else” (20)? From what can be seen from both ‘Behind the Beautiful Forevers’ and ‘Development and the City’, the current answer is no, though hopefully the future will change this outlook on life by those residing in