Roles Of Urbanization In Ethiopia

Urbanization in Ethiopia is believed as evolved in the second millennium B.C. Its history dates back to the civilization of Axum, Yeha etc (Belachew K et al, 2003). Though it is not in modern concept, the remnants of settlements and towns show the culture of urban development. There were various attempts to define urban area in Ethiopia from various perspectives. The widely used definition for urban area, as has been defined by the ministry of urban development and construction of Ethiopia (2012) stresses on the quantification of the population agglomeration to be at least 2000 and more than 50% of the dwellers to be engaged in nonagricultural activity. Urbanization in the developed world is blossomed after the industrial revolution, which

The first point is regarding the importance of capitalism, whose major base is industry, for the development of urbanization. The second point to be pin pointed here is that profit maximization is the major goal of capitalism. However as has been noted by the Kovel J. (2007) the extended urban development and industrialization, which is considered as a triggering factor for urbanization, geared by irresponsible capitalism will destroy the ecosystem. For instance, in areas where there are market imperfections, like Ethiopia, the capitalists will be liable to set price of raw materials, wedge, and the price of commodities. This will allow for them to further became rich letting the rest of the community to be poorer further. The working force will strive its effort spending much of its time on varied types of jobs per day, will not have time left for socializing with family, neighbors and the community. Individualism will be an inevitable phenomenon.
In addition, Ekins and Cooper (1993) has illustrated as many cities are attaining targeted economic development, however they become unsustainable because of dysfunctional social environments and a wealth-oriented urban economy among others. This lack of social integration coined with wealth oriented urban economy along with the demand for surplus profit could make the urban dwellers suppress their moral requirements and relay mainly on forceful competition that eventually

The products produced by such people, as they rely mainly on maximizing profit, may not follow its natural life cycle and could pose a health risk on the consumers. If seen in a magnified scale, this irresponsive and unwise utilization of resource and unethical “urban culture”, though urbanization along with industrialization is unavoidable and have lots of significance, is responsible for the current global warming problem and a major threat for