Urban political structures not neutral Examples:

◦ Ethnic leaders viewed civil service reforms as “the curse of the nation”

◦ Metropolitan governments opposed by African-American leaders

◦ Bussing in school districts opposed by ethnics and suburban whites

◦ Zoning regulations

often used to exclude poor

First Theme◦ Participants in the political process anticipate that

major changes in: governmental structures, boundaries, decision making processes

◦ Produce policy changes that would be for or against their interests

Second Theme◦ Most important urban political issues now involve

more than the central cities suburbs & the exurbs metropolitan-level structures of government federal government

◦ Contemporary politics of the central city and the entire metropolitan region are intertwined, not separate

Third Theme◦ Key issues at stake involved changes in either

channels through which citizens would have political access to key decision matters

◦ Or direct social access to important amenities of urban life

◦ Examples: quality education housing transportation

Fourth Theme ◦ Federal government has become a key participant

in urban and metropolitan politics ◦ Washington influences decisions on housing,

education and intra-urban transportation◦ Above issues previously were viewed as

exclusively local prerogatives

Abrupt change imposed from above (the national level)◦ Change in rules of the game – as opposed to

change in government ◦ Fidel Castro’s abolition of the mayor-council system

(modeled on the US.) of government for Havana ◦ Reorganization in Buenos Aires following the

constitutional reform of 1994 ◦ Creation of the Metropolitan District in Caracas

upon adoption of a new constitution (1999)

Incrementalism has predominated ◦ Three historical periods of urban/metropolitan

politics Age of political machines Progressive movement Period of the dependent city

Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-69): bringing the federal government in (Great Society)

Ronald W. Reagan (1981-89) distancing the federal government from the cities

Other Regular Subdivisions◦Town/Township◦School District

Special District◦ Tri-State

Port Authority

◦ Services Metropolitan New York (N.Y.; N. New Jersey; W. Connecticut)

Political Power: the ability to influence public decisions

Critical Dimensions of political power ◦ Context of Power◦ Structure of Power

Public Power and Private power

Quaker Philadelphia & Puritan Boston ◦ Priority on

individual and private sector

◦ Priority to the leadership in the public sector

Sam Warner: The Private City (Philadelphia

Priority to private sector following the Civil War ◦ Wealth increasingly concentrated in 1890’s◦ Wilson administration (1913 – 1920)

Role of government increased Heavy handed national security policies leads to

election of conservative Republican Warren G. Harding

Social and economic Darwinism Ascendant in 1920’s

New Deal of Franklin D. Roosevelt Great Society of Lyndon Johnson Reagan Revolution resurrects support for

smaller government◦ Government problem – not solution◦ Bush I and Clinton continue the policies◦ More leeway to capitalist institutions under

George W. Bush Differential Impacts of Privatization

◦ Affluent◦ Less fortunate

Concern with the negative consequences of Bush administration’s reliance on private sector

Affinity for plight of underclass in the cities Greater confidence in the capabilities of

government