The Decline and Revival of Traditional Heavy Industrial Cities: The Examples of Detroit in the United States and Shiyan in China

Abstract

The global economic transformation has led to the gradual decline of many traditional heavy industrial cities, which makes how to revitalize these cities an important issue. This paper takes Shiyan and Detroit as case studies on the decline and revitalization of heavy industrial cities. The research in this paper concludes that the main reason for the decline of industrial cities is stagnant economic development. Both Detroit and Shiyan used to rely on the automobile industry as their mainstay, but this mono-industrial structure made the cities' economies excessively dependent on their industries. Economic stagnation has led Detroit and Shiyan to face declining incomes and lower tax revenues at different times, especially under the impact of the economic crisis. Promoting the economic revival of traditional heavy-industry cities can be done through industrial upgrading, innovation-driven and green transformation. At the same time, the city should also increase the cultivation and introduction of talent, build a talent highland and an innovation highland, and provide strong talent support for industrial transformation and development. In conclusion, the revitalization of traditional heavy industrial cities requires comprehensive economic, cultural, environmental, talent, and other considerations, the research in this paper can further explore the development paths and modes of industrial cities, and contribute to the revival and prosperity of industrial cities.