The obvious answer to this question will be security. But isn't there a way around it such that our residential houses will be open just like the Americans do theirs. I think fences take away the beauty that a house is supposed to add to the environment and it also makes sure that there's no uniformity. Every compound is like a country on it's own. Why can't we borrow a leaf from the way American suburbs look like.
Just see this pics and tell me you don't like them:
Just see this pics and tell me you don't like them: