“Planet of Slums” a Book by Mike Davis

Planet of Slums, written by Mike Davis in 2006 and published in 2007, is a morbid yet informative read about the spread of poverty, disease, death, and exploitation within many cities of the Third-world countries. Throughout human history, cities were viewed as centers of economic development, growth, and industrialization. In the Third world, however, corruption and economic crises turn big cities into capitals of poverty. In his book, Mike Davis explains to the readers the mechanisms of how slums work, and puts forth an idea that the blame for slums being dangerous and miserable lies not on the inhabitants of said slums, but on the state, the corrupt rich, and the influential financial organizations such as the World Bank and the IMF.