effects-of-automobiles-on-society

EffectsoftheAutomobileonChina’sSocietiesOverthecourseofthe20thcentury,theautomobilerapidlydevelopedfromanexpensivetoyfortherichintothedefactostandardforpassengertransportinmostdevelopedcountries.Indevelopingcountries,theeffectsoftheautomobilehavelagged,butareemulatingtheimpactsofdevelopednations.Thedevelopmentoftheautomobilebuiltuponthetransportrevolutionstartedbyrailways,andliketherailways,introducedsweepingchangesineconomicchanges,environmentimpacts,andculturalchanges.Atfirst,automobilehaschangedalotontheeconomicchanges.Thedevelopmentoftheautomobilehascontributedtochangesinemploymentdistribution,shoppingpatterns,socialinteractions,manufacturingprioritiesandcity.Increasinguseofautomobileshasreducedtherolesofwalking,bikesandrailroads.Secondly,it’stheculturalchanges.Theautomobilemaderegularmedium-distancetravelmoreconvenientandaffordable,especiallyinareaswithoutrailways.Becauseautomobilesdidnotrequirerest,werefasterthanbikes,andsoonhadalowtotalcostofownership,morepeoplewereroutinelyabletotravelfurtherthaninearliertimes.Theconstructionofhighwayshalfacenturylatercontinuedthisrevolutioninmobility.SomeexpertssuggestthatmanyofthesechangesbeganduringtheearlierGoldenageofthebicycle.Lastbutnottheleast,theeffectsoftheautomobileoneverydaylifehasbeenasubjectofcontroversy.Whiletheintroductionofthemass-producedautomobilerepresentedarevolutioninmobilityandconvenience,themodernconsequencesofheavyautomotiveusecontributetotheuseofnon-renewablefuels,adramaticincreaseintherateofaccidentaldeath,socialisolation,thedisconnectionofcommunity,theriseinobesity,thegenerationofairandnoisepollution,urbansprawl,andurbandecay.Inaword,weshouldnotjustdiscardautomobilesfortheenvironmentandculturalimpacts,ofmakefulluseofthemfortheeconomicbenefits.ThoughautomobilehaschangedalotonChina’senvironmentandculture,itstillhasgivenlotsofbenefitstooureconomy.