The Baldur's Gate described in Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus has a "well earned reputation as a den of vipers (p.10)":
As the adventure begins, the situation is especially dire:
However, when I looked at wikia article (admittedly an unofficial source), it describes Baldur's Gate in a much more positive light:
It is a crowded city of commerce and opportunity, perhaps the most prosperous and influential merchant city on the western coast of Faerûn.
The strong peace-keeping force known as the Watch, along with the presence of the powerful Flaming Fists mercenary company, kept the city generally peaceful and safe.
Is the wikia article simply wrong? If not, how can these two views of the city be reconciled?