Unequal Cities: Overcoming Anti-Urban Bias to Reduce Inequality in the United States
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- Опубліковано 16 кві 2024
- Are cities being held back?
Rick McGahey (@thenewschool) explores the deep-rooted inequalities in American cities and the systemic challenges that perpetuate them, from racial disparities to economic divisions.
More about the book: cup.columbia.edu/book/unequal...
Cities are central to prosperity: they are hubs of innovation and growth. However, the economic vitality of wealthy cities is marred by persistent and pervasive inequality-and deeply entrenched anti-urban policies and politics limit the options to address it. Structural racism, suburban subsidies, regional government fragmentation, the hostility of state legislatures, and federal policy all contribute to an unequal status quo that underfunds cities while preventing them from pursuing fairer outcomes.
Economist Richard McGahey explores how cities can foster equitable economic growth despite the obstacles in their way. Drawing on economic and historical analysis as well as his extensive experience in government and philanthropy, he examines the failures of public policy and conventional economic wisdom that have led to the neglect of American cities and highlights opportunities for reform. Unequal Cities features detailed case studies of New York, Detroit, and Los Angeles, tracing how their attempts to achieve greater equity foundered because of the fiscal and political constraints imposed on them. McGahey identifies key lessons about the political coalitions that can overcome anti-urban biases, arguing that alliances among unions, environmentalists, and communities of color can help cities thrive. But he warns that cities cannot solve inequality on their own: political action at state and federal levels is necessary to achieve systemic change.
Shedding light on the forces that produced today’s dysfunction and disparities, Unequal Cities provides timely policy prescriptions to promote both growth and equity.
Timely, for sure.
Aligns so well with Charles Blow’s work
Another way cities are being unfairly controlled by less-urban areas are with highways and state DOTs. Historically DOTs have bulldozed thousands of homes and businesses in just about every major US city. They did this so that suburban commuters could drive through the city center faster, but it came at the expense of the people who lived in those urban areas. Now many cities are going bankrupt due to all their resources being withdrawn and used to prop up suburban areas that otherwise cannot sustain themselves financially. It's time we use city money to enhance our downtown spaces for the people who already live there or would like to live there instead of making their lives miserable to accommodate people elsewhere.
Do you live in a city because this comment makes zero sense.
@@Mageroeth See Detroit. See Jackson. These cities expanded their land area 10X to accomodate suburbs and as a result they went broke. Why? Because suburbs can't pay for themselves so they suck resources from somewhere else.
At least he's trying to understand the peculiarity of America and its race based economy and policies. I had to do the same thing, but to answer questions of why doors weren't opening, opposed to his inquiry into why doors kept opening up for him. Notwithstanding, at least he's looking into the issues...
Wow, economists are now so much busy in addressing and reducing American inequality itself instead of roaming all around the world and advising the so called under developed global south countries about what they should do with their fiscal policy?
That's really depressing 😢😢😢
City of London or London City?
What is to compare with New York (City)?
CoL is the Bankes colony within London, completeley souvereign, the boss so to say.
to compare TJ's opinion from the 18th century to our current 21st century is completely insane - especially for anyone that knows about TJ personal believes and preferences. flat out cherry picking. why not look to hamilton's opinions on cities. economists can be so f**king out-of-touch!
What were Hamilton's opnions? I remember he willingly moved the capitol out of New York City, which seems at the least not too supportive. He's not saying TJ's opinion caused everything, he's using TJ as a historical root. Modern day conservatives don't like cities, I think its ok to point to a conservative who would agree from the country's founding.