Harvey Molotch’s The City as a Growth Machine presents the urban world as a dystopic plaything of local oligarchs manipulating the local land regulation system by progressing their own land and business interests and all the while posing as concerned citizens on issues that provide a smoke screen for their business arrangements. It would sound like the script of a conspiracy theory if we weren’t witnessing the political fallout of the ICAC in NSW.
Be that as it may the arguments that Molotch puts to debunk the importance of growth and jobs to the working class is not so convincing.
Much has happened since the day’s of Mayor Daly’s Chicago and even though Eddie Obeid could control politics to suit his business interests he has been caught by the ICAC, something that Mayor Daly was not.
From the perspective of Jane Jacob’s, Mayor Daley was the type of politician with the type of policies she was opposed to. The University of Illinois, says of Chicago and Daley:
“The city was also involved in urban renewal, demolition of declining neighbourhood, and the construction of federally funded public housing projects. Although the project met with neighborhood opposition, Daley was particularly proud of the construction of the University of Illinois Chicago Circle (now University of Illinois at Chicago) campus on the Near West Side of the city (1965). More controversial was the use of federal money to fund construction of massive high rise public housing towers in some of the city’s primarily African American neighbourhoods. The Stateway Gardens (1955), Cabrini-Green Extension (1957, 1962), and the Robert Taylor Homes (1962) were all built on the city’s South and West sides.
To fund building projects, the city pursued state and federal funding and sought to create an environment that encouraged private investment. A Public Building Commission was formed (1956) to centralize planning and help finance public construction through revenue bonds. At the same time, flexible tax policies and zoning appealed to and attracted private business interests. City sales and utility taxes also helped fund municipal projects. Despite a declining tax base as people and businesses moved to the suburbs, the city of Chicago remained solvent and with a high bond rating at a time when other large urban centers were struggling. Building projects brought high-paying union jobs for Chicago workers, and labor leaders were appointed to policy making city boards and committees.
Ticket fixing, bribes, inflated contracts, and other corruption scandals brought investigations and led to prison terms for some public officials, including City Council floor leader Thomas Keane. The 1960 Summerdale Scandal involving a police burglary ring led to the resignation of the Police Commissioner. Daley appointed Orlando O. Wilson, who undertook a series of reforms to professionalize the force. “
References:
Harvey Molotch, The City as a Growth Machine
University of Illonois, Chicago. http://www.uic.edu/depts/lib/findingaids/MSRJD_04intro.html
Peter Olive z3284381 