After France's Reign of Terror, young people had a cathartic frolic—for about four years, until Napoleon took power. After WW I and the Spanish Flu, the Roaring ’20s carried London and New York into a new age of hilarity. But then came the Depression. gen.medium.com/the-harsh-futu… 1/6
The hope is that Covid-19 and the economic downturn will end with another delirious release — a rash of buying by exultant consumers, a new economic boom, and a return to work. They might. There will be parties galore and, pent up for so long, people will rush to the shops. 2/6
But alongside the joy, and for years after, American cities and towns seem likely to see untold scars of both the pandemic and the depression-like recession. 3/6
On our current course, we are likely to see stark austerity, with empty coffers for the very services and qualities that make for an appealing urban life— well-paying jobs, robust public transport, concerts, good schools, varied restaurants, boutiques and well-swept streets. 4/6
What calendar are we looking at? The U.S. is a can-do nation, but don’t be surprised if we are still having this conversation late next year and even in 2022 and are observing a very different urban look and tone then and beyond. 5/6
A big worry is that, after spending trillions just getting by and buried in debt, Congress will resist a multiyear future of heavy aid for the cities. It’s a bad omen that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has been resisting at this stage — in the midst of the pandemic. 6/6
