Governing the City

1
Governing the City

• Democratic Theory Redux

2
Paradox of American Democracy

• Both a duty and an option to participate
• Early Days of Republic, Alexis de Toqueville
  Americans were good at nurturing Habits of the
  Heart.
• What do you think Americans have opted for in
  recent times?

3
Robert Putnam

• Curious stats about bowling a) participation in
  league bowling was declining, but b) overall
  rates of bowling were increasing.
• UPSHOT Americans are bowling alone.
• Good Metaphor to talk about decline of Social
  Capital.

4
Robert Bellah, et al., Habits of the Heart

• Toquevilles point about egoism
• Weve gone too far down the road toward egoism,
  or what Bellah, et al., call radical
  individualism.
• UPSHOT Weve lost the habits of the heart
  that Toqueville wrote about.

5
How Does this Relate to Cities?

• Recall Ben Barbers point about strong
  democracy
• Urban neighborhoods provide opportunities for
  face-to-face deliberation over policies and
  problems promotes the development of community
• Fragmentation exacerbates our tendencies toward
  individualism, and makes it even more difficult
  to think regionally about broader interests to
  nurture habits of the heart.

6
Realities of Democracy in Cities

• When it comes to central city policymaking,
  elites (politicians, bureaucrats, economic
  leaders) make decisions, but they can be guided
  by strong citizen input. Balance is needed.
• Berry, Portney, Thomson (conclusions)
• 1. Some exclusive power should be turned over to
  NAs
• 2. Adm. Agencies should be rewarded for working
  with NAs
• 3. Citizen Participation should be citywide

7
Fragmentation One-Size Solutions Do not fit all
Regions

• Rely more significantly on the distinction
  between lifestyle services and system
  maintenance services.
• Incremental solutions are most likely going to be
  successful in the long-term.
• Evidence has shown that when more comprehensive
  reform has occurred, significant challenges have
  been present.

8
Ethical Concerns and Fragmentation

• Three reactions to fragmentation based on
  Tiebout, Rusk, and Orfield
• 1. Do nothing Libertarian/Individualistic Ethic
  (Tiebout)
• 2. Build Consensus Toward Thinking and Acting
  Regionally Communitarian Ethic (Rusk)
• 3. Build Working Coalition Aimed at Specific
  Solutions Communitarian Ethic (Orfield)

9
What do You Think?

• What are the strengths and weaknesses of each
  ethic in terms of who is most likely to govern
  with each?
• Which one resonates more with you? Your answer
  can give you some insight to how you personally
  try to balance the classic democratic dilemma
  between freedom and equality.