ABSTRACT
Chapters 3 and 4 examined the economic factors influencing change in the cities. Community groups operate against the backdrop of economic change. Their attitudes and strategies are influenced by the resources available, the ‘ghetto’ syndrome often associated with distressed districts and the move of business to the suburban areas. Local interest groups or voluntary organisations have formed to defend the interests of citizens and extend social, economic and political opportunities. In the era of the ‘enterprise culture’, communities have been faced with new choices about how they can achieve their goals. Ethnic minority organisations have faced special problems. Blacks, and other minority groups, have not only been weakened by their diversity and lack of political cohesion, but have also been affected by a lack of political influence reinforced by racism (Engstrom and McDonald, 1981, 1982; Jacobs, 1986, 1988; Messina, 1987).
