6D. Population ratio:

For systems like South Africa, economic health, potential and projection depend on the population ratio between westerners and indigenous individuals. For example, India, China, and Brazil are systems that were founded upon a large indigenous population and small western population. The consistency of this ratio through time shaped the structure of cities into what I described in section 4C Structure as blobs indicative of third world countries. Conversely in North America and Australia, while the initial population ratio also entailed a large indigenous population and small western population, the ratio shifted in time to favor westerners and this is also reflected in the structure of these cities (i.e. fading). Generally speaking, the status of a country/city as first or third world is related to the historical population ratio between westerners and indigenous individuals. Speaking from the perspective of cities, the urban organism will penetrate traditional systems strategically and inevitably however growth patterns will reflect environmental constraints.

This is a difficult trend to quantify because it is subject to many variables. Should we attempt to quantify population ratio it is important to acknowledge that due to technological segregation, population ratio does not translate into: 1 westerner = 1 indigenous individual. In terms of power and potency (i.e. environmental impact): 1 westerner > 1 indigenous individual. Even with this basic formula, the question remains: If integration is possible and many people lie somewhere in the middle of the spectrum of western-indigenous, who is western and who is not? I sincerely doubt a definitive answer exists.

Again, how we intend to use information determines the necessary degree of precision. I am using population ratio to highlight South Africa’s developmental direction. While to some it may appear that indigenous populations now control South Africa, what has started to become obvious throughout Africa is that racial equality does not translate into indigenous rule and harmony. The issue is far deeper than race. Placing power in the hands of those with indigenous genes has not necessarily resulted in an increased quality of life among individuals in traditional societies because the true divide among human beings concerns lifestyle, not race.

Westerners remain in power in South Africa. Their physical appearance as indigenous people helps to stabilise the system yet the scale remains tipped in favor of western civilisation, regardless of race. Evidence for the continued growth of western civilisation is written in satellite images of cities and data pertaining to city growth. New World western cities of first-world status continue to bloom throughout South Africa.

I often hear people citing the horrid living conditions throughout South Africa’s shanty towns to suggest that South Africa is collapsing into a third world country or suffering from impossible problems. I again refer to the experience of North America where immigrants and Native Americans lived in comparably difficult environments. For immigrants in particular, shanty towns, despite their high level of danger and pathology, represented the chance for a better life. Considering the conflict between westerners and indigenous people, shanty towns represent a desire on the part of indigenous people to participate in the urban system. I won’t pretend shanty towns offer a happy existence, but from the perspective of the city, the shanty towns are important sources of nutrients, nutrient reserves, and given time, perhaps the framework of a future satellite city center.

Finally, while westerners have an advantage, population ratio in South Africa is especially interesting because the almost even balance of power between western and traditional groups combined with a shift in moral values throughout the west has inspired the creation of an innovative form of democracy where indigenous people are incorporated into society at a very early stage in the country’s development. Again we can draw a comparison with North America where philosophical and political innovation (of a different sort) enabled a freer society in which technological innovation could flourish. For South Africa, because integration has been incorporated into the system structure at such an early developmental stage, the potential for success has significantly increased. While integration is a difficult issue, it is not insurmountable. From the perspective of cities, each human being can be a valuable resource, thus the city will grow toward maximum resource utilisation (i.e. high rate of proportional economic growth).