Wrestling With Moses - Literary Analysis Essay

Introduction

The conflict between Robert Moses and Jane Jacobs is one of the utmost dramatic and consequential in the history of contemporary America. The rivalry also refers to the struggle for the soul of the city. According to a young Jane Jacobs, the diverse makeup and the winding cobblestones were some of the best features of a city. Greenwich Village had the above topographies, the features that an urban neighborhood ought to have. However, the consummate power broker, Robert Moses, the planner of most of New York's colossal development projects, believed that localities such as Greenwich Village earnestly require urban restitution. Going in contrary to the government strategies, Jacobs managed to marshal popular support, as well as the dogmatic power against Moses. In other words, she managed to block traffic through Washington Square Park and prevented the construction of Expressway through Lower Manhattan, a preeminent superhighway that could have shattered monumental streetscapes, and banished thousands of families. Through confronting Moses' ideas, Jacobs managed to change the way Americans understood the structure of a city. Her actions provide recaps of the powers that every person has in confronting and defying irresponsible authority.

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Competing Visions of New York City Held by Robert Moses and Jane Jacobs

Jane Jacobs and Robert Moses had different competing visions for New York City in terms of urban planning. The two personalities had profoundly conflicting visions on the future of New York City. Moses envisioned a city with easy driving while Jacobs anticipated a city with streets that are safer and more vibrant for pedestrians. Jacob's vision fervently contradicted Moses' plans to construct more highways and expressways through Washington Square Park and Greenwich Village. Also, Moses had an idea of an orderly and clean city where vehicles took priority; however, this was not the model of the plans employed in building most of the American suburbs. On the other hand, Jacobs alluded to the messiness of the urban life, agitating for diversity and density of neighborhoods and disagreeing with the high-handed and top-down methods of urban planning. Jane Jacobs believed that the express highways would interfere with the settlement and lives of people in the neighborhoods. For instance, the construction of more road networks for easy driving was going to hinder settlements in New York's neighborhoods that consisted of many households. Even though Moses was an influential urban planner, his plans did not prosper as Jacobs managed to organize popular support, as well as the political power against him.

New York State and New York City Involved In the Development of the Plan Put Forth by Robert Moses

The New York State and New York City were involved in the development of plans by Robert Moses. The two organizations, with the desire to expand the road network and to improve traffic flow in the city, provided a steady stream of revenues that Moses leveraged into myriad construction projects. The two governments were involved in the planning, pre-requisite studies, and actual mapping of the city for construction purposes. Specifically, the government of the New York States took care of the political and economic impacts. Also, they were engaged in the approvals of documentation and plans. For instance, in the process of developing procedures, they managed to approve environmental assessments from different departments. New York's state government also managed to seek funding from the federal government for the development of plans and other initial activities in the construction processes. New York City, on the other hand, led by Mayor, contributed in seeking for environmental assessment and ground planning for displacements and compensations thereafter. The city authorities, working closely with Robert Moses, managed to develop plans and maps on how the expressways and other road networks would decongest the city.

Interest Groups Involved in the Proposed Project

There were several interest groups involved in Jacob's proposals. First, there were neighborhood residents who strongly opposed the construction of expressway through Washington Square Park and Greenwich Village. The residents believed that the road development plan was not in line with the initial ones used in the construction of the neighboring dwellings. Secondly, there were the media that supported vulnerable communities; they believed that Moses' initiatives, even though good in improving the transport system, would interfere with the monumental streetscapes and natural resources such as Washington Square Park. The third interest group was the Washington Square Parks Park's committee, who had the idea of opposing Moses' plans to conserve the park from destruction. There was also opposition from within the government. New York Secretary of State, Carmine DeSapio, who doubled up as a fierce Democratic politician, worked against Moses' plans of constructing expressway through the neighborhoods and the part. Finally, The Board of Estimate, an organization in charge of controlling land-use decisions within New York City, became an interested party in support of Jacobs' plans, meaning that they worked against Moses' plans.

Methods of Influence Employed by Jane Jacobs

Jane Jacobs employed a great skill of community organizing, soliciting supporters, both large and small, from local children to protuberant residents, including Eleanor Roosevelt. Also, Jacobs cultivated the media in different forms, thereby reaping the support of several independent presses, including Village Voice. Besides, the traditional levers of power were not left behind. Mobilizing prominent politicians such as Carmine DeSapio, as well as different organizations, including The Board of Estimate, proved to be helpful. Jacobs also involved in writing several articles on the positive vision of the city. For instance, there was the "teeming City," a piece of work that led to the commission of her greatest work, The Death and Life of American Cities. Through continuous mobilizations, she managed to marshal popular support, as well as the political power against Moses. The construction plans were therefore abolished to honor public demands.

Recommendation

From the perspective of a public administration student, I liked the book. It provides an elaboration of the powers that every person has in confronting and defying irresponsible authority. It also elaborates on the prevailing scientific realism in urban planning, organic structures of cities, as well as the human factors in the management processes. The book provides lessons on management strategies. It prepares readers on how to react to some of the administrative challenges that come as a result of public demands. From the book, it is evident that public participation is essential while conducting different administrative processes. Finally, I trust that the book provides moral guidance on how to tackle administrative challenges such as public interference. Jane Jacobs' approach to tackling reckless administration is one of the major lessons that everyone would like to learn from the book.