Black Economic, Political, and Cultural Development: Does City Size Make a Difference?

Abstract

Social science literature suggests two competing views of the effect of city size on black economic, political, and cultural development: (1) that as a consequence of big-city financial plight, veto-group pluralism, and sizeengendered social disorganization, blacks will encounter greater problems in the nation's larger cities; (2) that due to greater heterogeneity, responsive political institutions, and other conditions, city size should facilitate black development. Examining 168 American cities over 25,000 in 1970, this study assesses the impact of city size on 28 indicators of black development. Findings show that even-with regional controls established, city size is significantly and favorably associated with over 20 of the development measures. Four likely explanations are advanced for the relationship between city size and black development: (1) black population size; (2) politicization and responsive institutions; (3) city centrality; and (4) interactions among aspects of black development.