Part 4/11:
As businesses shutter and tax revenues dwindle, public services erode. The alarming decline of infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, is evidenced by the closure of over 170 rural hospitals in the U.S. during the past two decades, generating significant healthcare deserts. In Italy, more than 2,500 villages teeter on the brink of total abandonment. Similar trends are occurring in Japan, where 9 million homes lie abandoned across rural landscapes. While affordable housing exists, it soon becomes irrelevant without job opportunities—a breeding ground for ghost towns.