Essay on Governing Arrangements & Political Will: Key to US Urban Development

The development of the United States of America, as well as that of most of its urban centers, relied heavily on the governing arrangements and the political goodwill within the regions. Growing these areas was the responsibility of society and local governments. Therefore, the goodwill from either party was essential in facilitating effective governance and development. Before conceptualizing any change, the local governments had to consider the role that regime politics played in their jurisdictions. This alignment ensured that their interests were at per with the desires of the political elite and society to some extent. In the 1950s, Detroit was the fifth largest city in America. Over time, however, the city lost most of its residents due to the loss of jobs and the movement of people to other cities. The movement of its residents has made the town less dynamic. The paper below focuses on the types of government in Detroit and New York cities. Additionally, the rise and fall of each of the cities will be analyzed to understand their current economic, social and political position. On the whole, this paper will prove that New York is a state that is doing better than Detroit despite the latter having a head start during its formative stages.

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Detroit is not the only city that has felt the effects of losing citizens to other places. Cities such as New York have also lost part of their population. The difference, however, is brought about by the ability of these cities to absorb more or equivalent people due to their ability to create jobs. Places such as Indianapolis, Denver, and San Francisco, have an equal number of those leaving to occupy the suburbs to those coming in to offset the out-migrants. The ability of these cities to hold their residents is due to the structures and safety which is attractive to the middle-class households. The commercial viability, cultural vitality, and accessibility of a city are some of the factors that make a town attractive and can retain its population. Before the World War, city structures in the United States focused on critical infrastructure, religious as well as cultural buildings and public parks. These considerations enabled cities to accommodate large populations and various economic activities. Private developers financed most of the city structures and designs.

Municipal and civil policies in America assist in local governance. This type of administration allows the interaction between various networks which are critical in decision making. Some of the vital parties involved in the public and civil policymaking include the private and public sector, the government and the civil society. Some of the city policies in Detroit led to the decline of the city. In 1967, racist municipal rules were set up, and they led to destructive urban riots. Consequently, there was an outflow of the White population from the city (Weber). With time, Detroit was a Black majority zone. By 1973, there was an increase in the outflow of White people due to racist policies. Such policies, however, hurt the economy of the city since it meant that the tax returns would go down.

According to Morgan, governments have to embrace decentralization and the active participation of citizens in the governance of their jurisdictions. This is critical since it allows the residents to have control over what is going on and hold their leaders accountable. They note that "In most respects, the problem facing local governments is not a lack of resources, but the ability to use existing resources efficiently and effectively." (Morgan, et al. 23). Assuming that city council governments would grow without the participation of their residents in matters that concern them was a mistake that happened in Detroit, and it was among the reasons why the government of the city could not use fiscal resources effectively. To prosper, therefore, the government must treat all people equally without putting other groups at a disadvantage. On the whole, the book emphasizes the need to create a political space that is for the benefit of all citizens and not individuals.

New York City is one of the cities with the largest populations in the United States. The city officials are elected by the residents to implement the initiatives that affect the city. The administrators include the mayor, a public advocate, city comptroller and the speaker of the city council. The mayor of the town serves for a four-year team and is eligible for reelection for up to three terms. It is through the mayor that other officials are appointed and major city decisions are made to ensure the integrity and the effectiveness of the government. There are also non-elected officials who lead the boards and guide them to make the right decisions on behalf of other people. The members of these community boards are volunteers who ensure that residents benefit from the city services. Detroit, on the other hand, is a city that is under the state of Michigan. Within the state, the city is the lowest form of government with control over recreation, several schools, and the police. Failure to involve the public in the city affairs resulted in the town filing for bankruptcy in 2013. The lack of accountability amongst the appointees of various boards within the city has led to diminishing service delivery. Therefore, the level of public involvement in the operations of both cities is a significant difference that determines the prosperity of each.

Another difference in the type of government is in how the power is structured. In New York, control is centralized since it is a state (The New York State Senate). The power structure of the city is such that there is an executive, a legislature and a judiciary. In New York, there are 62 Senate members and 150 members who have the mandate of the people from the districts that they represent. Senators then proceed to elect a Lieutenant Governor who serves as a Temporary President of the Senate for two years. The person directs the activities of the Senate and appoints the people to serve in various committees (The New York State Senate). Detroit City, on the other hand, is run by a council which is appointed to assist the Mayor in running the activities of the city. The appointment of these people creates a bridge between them and the people as opposed to narrowing the same. Reduced consultations between the local government and the people (Owens III et al. 32). Hence, the power structure of the governments is another significant difference between New York and Detroit.

However, there are similarities between the New York and Detroit city governments. Mayors head both administrations, and they control the activities of their jurisdictions. Each of the mayors is in charge of their cities, and they manage the budgets and appointments that are taking place in their areas of control. Additionally, the state of Michigan administers the courts in the city. Similarly, the courts in New York are controlled at the state level by the unified court system that synchronizes the activities of all courts within this region. In both cities, there is a mayor and a court system that is unified at the state level.

The dwindling population in Detroit meant that the political power of the city would decrease. The town lost most of its legislative seats to the people in the suburbs who were growing in population and also economically. At some point, the 40-million-dollar legislative bill meant to help Detroit during the 1982 recession was rejected. This meant that the harsh municipal policies set in place by the previous leaders have continued to have a ripple effect on the people of Detroit. The local systems in New York have allowed the city to grow since 1921. The city administrators put the city in a position of interdependence regarding transport, infrastructure, and food systems. With time, the city put into consideration food production as one of their issues as opposed to viewing the same as a rural concern. The engagement of the state in food production policies encouraged the development of food stores that are critical in narrowing the foodshed gaps in the food system (Cohen 701). These efforts to create a consistent food supply in the city have allowed New York to be sustainable since it embraces the efforts of each regardless of race. Therefore, Detroit failed due to its racial municipal and civil policies that drove out the White population to the suburbs thus inhibiting its economic growth. New York City, on the other hand, has continued to flourish due to the laws that focus on sustainability and the progress of the city without any racial antagonism.

For the longest time, Detroit was the center of the auto industry in America. The city was incorporated into Michigan in 1802 when it got a charter (Weber). By 1898, the Ford Company had established industry in the town. The following year, Ransom Olds established a vehicle manufacturing plant in Detroit. By 1925, companies such as Chrysler had started their manufacturing activities there. These firms had created over 296,000 jobs by the year 1950 (Weber). Before its decline, the city had undergone the three periods that most towns in America experienced before achieving their stability. The stages include the commercial, industrial and corporate period. During the commercial phase, there are a lot of trading activities taking place within the town while manufacturing dominates the industrial period (Lin 44). The sale of stocks, mergers, and accumulation of wealth characterize the corporate phase. Therefore, the consistency in the stages of economic development was crucial to the rise of Detroit.

By 1950, over 1.8 million people had gone to Detroit in a bid to seek employment ("Anatomy of Detroit's Decline"). By then, Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors were the first motor companies in the area with high prosperity rates. However, these companies started to restructure and replacing manual jobs with automation. The threat of causing unemployment due to restructuring brought fourth strikes that showed the dangers of over-reliance on a single industry. Additionally, the Black people were not willing to work with the Whites, and this led to massive protests which derailed the progress of Detroit ("Anatomy of Detroit's Decline"). Replacing the assembly industries with machines led to the loss of many jobs in the city. During the energy crisis and the economic recessions that followed in the 1970s and 80s, most industries closed down while those that remained laid down most of their employees. As a result of unemployment, the cost of living in this area increased with the retiree health costs rising to unmanageable levels. Therefore, the over-reliance of Detroit in one industry resulted in the decline of the city (Lin 43). Financial insolvency in this city is due to the lack of diversification skills and the inability to identify other industries that can support the present establishments.

Conclusion

The decline of Detroit started in the 1950s, and it lasted for thirty years. The major factors behind it include factory closures, racial antagonism, and segregation. These occurrences led to huge population losses and the consequent decline of the city for a period that lasted for over forty years. Additionally, poor neighborhood settings also led to the fall of this city. Being able to identify with a specific neighborhood is critical since it allows people to have a sense of belonging as well as manage their resources effectively. Creating an environment where people can relate to the amenities around is critical since it brings community ownership and responsibilities. However, the segregation that exists in Detroit does not allow for the people of this city to interact peacefully. Racial hostilities resulted in the loss of over 300,000 whites...