Sujet Bac S LV2 Anglais 2014

Document A
Why Gated Communities are Becoming a Global Problem
Thoughts and observations on what makes cities great places to live, written by a native
of Vancouver
The prevalence of gated communities has steadily risen across the United States since the
5 1960s. According to Edward Blakely, author of Fortress America, census figures show that
between 6 and 9 million Americans live behind gates. The appeal of gated communities lies in
their promise of safety, privacy, exclusivity, and ultimately sameness and predictability.
People choose to live in these communities because they want to be around people like them
and have freedom from the uncertainty of the outside world–most gated communities have a
10 school, community centre, pool, and other amenities. You rarely have to leave the
community, except when commuting to work.
However, that promise of safety and sameness is now proving to be pretty empty. In a recent
article on gated communities in The Atlantic Cities, author Sarah Goodyear wrote: “By
fostering suspicion and societal divisions, gated communities can paradoxically compromise
15 safety rather than increase it. And because they cut residents off from the larger community,
they can shrink1 the notion of civic engagement and allow residents to retreat from civic
responsibility.”