Why are people that live in big cities more liberal than people that live in small cities?

Question

It seems like, in general, people that live in big cities are more liberal than people that live in small cities. New Yorkers, for example, are in general more liberal than people that live in Des Moines Iowa. People in Boston are more liberal than people that live in Lincoln Nebraska, and people in San Francisco are more liberal than people in Bismark North Dakota. It's not an exact relationship. Obviously, there are conservatives in big cities, but in general it seems like big cities are more liberal. I'm not judging or advocating that trend, just observing it. What are the reasons for that?

Answer 1

People in small towns simply do not have to deal with big city issues and and for the most part are blissfully ignorant of a lot real problems. We like our little world and do not want it to change. Unfortunately, our little world will change anyway and we are likely to miss the opportunity to change it into something we want.

Answer 2

Well The only reason that one can answer that question about people from big city's are more liberal than the ones in small rural areas. In the big city's you may be exposed to more people and different opinions but I think that many people get caught up in the mix for example if one is a conservative and move to a big city after a while of interacting with people they start to questioning your stance and pressure starts to build where you have to change your principals or find people that will share your same kind of principals but as you might know that is one hard thing to do and most people usually take the path of less resistance. In small towns principals are usually pass down from generation to generation but it's almost the same thing except in a small scale if a person comes from a big city an moves to a small suburban neighborhoods the liberal person will stand out and eventually they will also have to change their principals to mirror their community. I think that this simples way to answer this very complicate question

Answer 3

I think some people living in rural areas are out of touch with the issues that can't be ignored in big cities, like air pollution for instance. It's a lot easier to pretend the problem doesn't exist if you don't have to commute under an ugly brown cloud of smog every day. Conservatives tend to be blissfully ignorant, and living in a small rural town can make it easier to stay that way.

Answer 4

I have thought about this too. Good question. Maybe it is because rural people believe more in the individualistic approach (we control our success or failure), while city dwellers are more into government safety nets (welfare, etc.).

Also, I believe that city vs rural dwellers have different problems and see different issues in life, which alters their perception of the world. We all adapt to our surroundings, which develops our viewpoints.

I guess i don't have a real good answer, but I tried.

Answer 5

I don't agree. I am living in a small city and I had been living in a big city. In comparison I feel more comfortable and more liberal to be living in small city.

Answer 6

People in Big Cities tend to be exposed to intense multi-culturalism and as such learn to tolerate a wide range of different expressions. People in small towns do not have that exposure and tend to view life in a narrow range of their own colloquialism.

Answer 7

No. Liberals are everywhere in the country, and in each and every style of city or u . s . placing. Even the main conservative vote casting states have liberals interior of them check out the vote casting consequences for Obama. He won many votes in all states. working example, he acquire 3.5 million votes in Texas. See the link and map decrease than for others.

Answer 8

Small towns are more likely to be insular. Not as accepting as large cities. I've lived in small towns that were extremely racist. hate crimes were common. And were considered the norm. Whereas in Big cities, they would get busted for their actions.

Answer 9

It’s easier to be a liberal in the big city for several reasons.


One: liberals have a lemming mentality. They like to run blindly off cliffs in big groups. But seriously, liberals like the positive feedback from like-thinkers. A conservative doesn’t need an activist group to know he/she is right. So liberals congregate in the city, like sheep.

Two: liberals don’t like to own property. They find that living in condos or apartments, taking the bus, and having few or no children frees them up to really enjoy a hedonistic lifestyle. Conservatives like to build things, own things, have families, and plan for the future.

Three: its scary out in the boondocks. It’s hard to be against guns when coyotes eat your pets and rummage through your trash. It’s a lot of hard work to maintain property, even in a small town or the suburbs. Nature sucks!, except when you want to save some part of it you’ll never see, never go to, and don’t care who gets screwed out of a job and a life.

Four: services. You have to do for yourself out in the sticks. In the city, you can get whatever you want by phone or at some shop. Hey, make your own coffee??? No way!

Answer 10

They move there to get away from small town hate or the way people think in small towns.

Small towns are also more violent it is just covered up.