Every so often, cities face major shocks. These can be economic shocks, such as the decline of key markets; natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina; or political shocks, such as corruption or gross mismanagement. Larger cities can often deal with these events using their own ample manpower and by leveraging their relationships with national governments. Smaller cities have a greater need for outside resource, but often have to fall back on their own resources and creativity to survive.
