IELTS Essay: Standards of Living

Sample Answer

When standards of living increase, it is primarily urban residents, not those in the countryside, who benefit. In my opinion, this can lead to opposite problems related to population density and is best mitigated by governmental action.

Inequality in terms of standard of living engenders population problems for cities and rural regions. Cities have become over-populated in the last century as they offer a wider range of educational, occupational, and recreational options. Elevated population density means that although residents can enjoy a higher standard of living generally, they must also overcome concomitant effects from overcrowding such as more traffic, less sanitary conditions, and higher crime rates. The inverse problem exists outside cities as residents leave and locals struggle to earn a living in sparsely populated towns and villages.

These related problems can best be countered by the authorities. There are various initiatives that could be implemented. One real-world example of this would be in Japan where the government in recent years has addressed dwindling population numbers in the countryside by auctioning off country homes cheaply. Prospective home-owners are often able to buy houses nearly for free if they agree to live and work in a town with few residents. Another possible measure would be for governments to invest more in urban infrastructure. Since migrations to cities are likely inevitable, this is a more pragmatic tactic.

In conclusion, the inverse issues created for rural and urban areas by rising standards of living can be effectively controlled if governments intervene. This issue will only become more pressing as the global middle class continues to grow.