urban development is cyclical, the global economic environment, industry evolution rule, decision-making of urban development, uncertain crisis and a series of factors affecting the urban development, so the study of the process and the rule of urban decay is significant for urban construction. The paper puts forward some suggestions to Chinese urban development by analyzing the development stage, causes and effects of urban bankruptcy of the Detroit city. Results show that the development of Detroit city has experienced four periods:urban formation stage (before 1815), rapid growth stage (1815-1930), mature stage (1930-1950) and urban recession stage (1950-present). Single industrial structure, location advantages loss, failed government performance, continuous impact of multiple crises and rigid decision-making of auto enterprise are five major cause of the bankruptcy for Detroit. In our country, future urban construction in our country should attach importance to urban industrial development and urban spatial planning, to prevent overloaded debt for local government and class differentiation, strengthen the investment to establish a good employ mechanism.%城市发展具有周期性，全球经济环境、城市产业演化规律、城市决策、不确定危机事件等一系列因素共同影响着城市发展，研究城市衰退的过程和规律对于我国城市建设具有重要意义。通过分析底特律城市发展阶段、城市破产原因和影响，提出了一些对中国城市发展的建议。结果表明：底特律城市发展共经历了四个时期：城市形成期（1815年之前）、快速成长期（1815年-1930年）、发展成熟期（1930年-1950年）和城市衰退期（1950-至今）。城市产业结构单一、区位优势丧失、政府效能未能充分发挥、多重危机持续冲击、汽车企业决策僵化是导致底特律市城市破产的五大原因。未来我国城市建设应重视城市产业发展、城市空间规划，防止地方政府大量负债和城市阶层分化，加强人才投资，建立良好的用人机制。
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