Urban politics in the United States
Encyclopedia
American urban politics refers to politics within cities of the United States of America. City governments, run by mayor
s or city council
s, hold a restricted amount of governing power. State and federal governments have been granted a large portion of city governance as laid out in the U.S. Constitution.
The small remaining power held by individual cities becomes a target of numerous outside influences such as large corporations and real-estate developers. American Urban Politics determine the socio-economic make-up of urban
neighborhoods and contribute to the ever present disparity between Urban America and Suburban America.
The mayor–council government has two variants, the weak-mayor system and the strong-mayor system. Under the weak-mayor system the mayor has extremely limited power and is forced to share power with other locally elected officials. The strong-mayor system allows the mayor to appoint certain officials and gives the mayor some veto powers. Some communities have given the mayor additional veto, appointment, or reporting authorities, with some granting their mayors the power to initiate hiring or involuntary termination of the professional manager.
A city commission government
consists of five to nine elected members of a city council who also serve as the heads of major city departments. This form of government blends legislative and executive branch functions in the same body. Proponents of the council-manager form typically consider the city commission form to be the predecessor of, not the alternative to, the council-manager form of government. City governments search for an equilibrium in their relations with the external environment.Urban politics is politics in and about cities. This term refers to the diverse political structure that occurs in urban areas where there is diversity in both race and socio-economic status. City governments search for an equilibrium in their relations with the external environment. A city government's orientation reflects both its leaders' aspirations and its tax-services balance. politics plays an important role in explaining the path and direction a city chooses. A city's economic development functions and for the political decision to mobilize public capital. City investment in, and regulation of, development projects is the most effective means by which a city controls and molds its growth in pursuit of its future cityscape.
A council–manager government consists of a city council that appoints a professionally trained manager who is given responsibility for running the daily affairs of the city. The city council possesses the authority to remove any unsatisfactory manager at any time needed. For nearly ninety years, the council-manager form has successfully adapted to American community needs. Cities and counties are not static; the changes taking place in them involve the core of our values. Professional managers and the council-manager form continue to evolve such that today, as in the early twentieth century, this system offers government of the people, by the people, and for the people. In short, council-manager government is a system of reform that will continue to serve communities well in the twenty-first century.
theories seek to explain relationships among elected officials and those individuals who influence their decisions.
Corporate regimes or development regimes promote growth and normally reflect the interests of a city's major corporation
s while neglecting the interests of poor, distressed areas of a city.
Caretaker regimes normally oppose large-scale development projects in fear of increased taxes and disrupting normal ways of life.
Progressive regimes respond to the needs of lower- and middle-class citizens and environmental groups rather than corporate-oriented growth.
Intergovernmental regimes exist in cities of extreme need that are mismanaged and financially troubled. The governor and state legislators are important regime actors.
There have been five regimes throughout American History. The first was the first corporate regime was built by John D. Rockefeller and J.P. Morgan from 1865-1901. The second was the progressive regime led by Theodore Roosevelt from 1901-1921. Then came the second corporate regime led by Harding and Hoover during the time from 1921-1933. After that came Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal Regime from 1933-1980. We are currently in the third corporate regime started during Ronald Reagan's presidency in the 1980s.
.
As industry and transportation technologies improved, American cities became centers of production and the process of urbanization
began to take place. The country became increasingly urban, and cities grew not only in terms of population but also in size, with skyscrapers pushing cities upward and new transportation systems extending them outward. Part of the urban population growth was fueled by an unprecedented mass immigration to the United States that continued unabated into the first two decades of the twentieth century. Cities became locations of opportunity that drove rural to urban migration, but the waves of people also led to congestion, overcrowded housing, undesirable living conditions, poor sanitation and major health epidemics.
As these problems persisted the rich and affluent citizens left the problems in the central city and moved to the outer edges, thus beginning the first stages of suburbanization that carried on well into the 20th century. Suburbanization
boomed following the invention of railroads, automobiles, assembly-line production and telecommunications. Urban America slowly lost its importance and moved toward a metropolitan America that, in most cases, consisted of poor, underdeveloped, old-city centers, surrounded by wealthy, developed suburbs and edge-cities.
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
s or city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
s, hold a restricted amount of governing power. State and federal governments have been granted a large portion of city governance as laid out in the U.S. Constitution.
The small remaining power held by individual cities becomes a target of numerous outside influences such as large corporations and real-estate developers. American Urban Politics determine the socio-economic make-up of urban
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
neighborhoods and contribute to the ever present disparity between Urban America and Suburban America.
Local power distribution
Three main systems of city government describe local power distribution in the United States: mayor-council systems, the commission plan and the council-manager plan.The mayor–council government has two variants, the weak-mayor system and the strong-mayor system. Under the weak-mayor system the mayor has extremely limited power and is forced to share power with other locally elected officials. The strong-mayor system allows the mayor to appoint certain officials and gives the mayor some veto powers. Some communities have given the mayor additional veto, appointment, or reporting authorities, with some granting their mayors the power to initiate hiring or involuntary termination of the professional manager.
A city commission government
City commission government
City commission government is a form of municipal government which once was common in the United States, but many cities which were formerly governed by commission have since switched to the council-manager form of government...
consists of five to nine elected members of a city council who also serve as the heads of major city departments. This form of government blends legislative and executive branch functions in the same body. Proponents of the council-manager form typically consider the city commission form to be the predecessor of, not the alternative to, the council-manager form of government. City governments search for an equilibrium in their relations with the external environment.Urban politics is politics in and about cities. This term refers to the diverse political structure that occurs in urban areas where there is diversity in both race and socio-economic status. City governments search for an equilibrium in their relations with the external environment. A city government's orientation reflects both its leaders' aspirations and its tax-services balance. politics plays an important role in explaining the path and direction a city chooses. A city's economic development functions and for the political decision to mobilize public capital. City investment in, and regulation of, development projects is the most effective means by which a city controls and molds its growth in pursuit of its future cityscape.
A council–manager government consists of a city council that appoints a professionally trained manager who is given responsibility for running the daily affairs of the city. The city council possesses the authority to remove any unsatisfactory manager at any time needed. For nearly ninety years, the council-manager form has successfully adapted to American community needs. Cities and counties are not static; the changes taking place in them involve the core of our values. Professional managers and the council-manager form continue to evolve such that today, as in the early twentieth century, this system offers government of the people, by the people, and for the people. In short, council-manager government is a system of reform that will continue to serve communities well in the twenty-first century.
Urban regime theories
Urban regimeRegime
The word regime refers to a set of conditions, most often of a political nature.-Politics:...
theories seek to explain relationships among elected officials and those individuals who influence their decisions.
Corporate regimes or development regimes promote growth and normally reflect the interests of a city's major corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
s while neglecting the interests of poor, distressed areas of a city.
Caretaker regimes normally oppose large-scale development projects in fear of increased taxes and disrupting normal ways of life.
Progressive regimes respond to the needs of lower- and middle-class citizens and environmental groups rather than corporate-oriented growth.
Intergovernmental regimes exist in cities of extreme need that are mismanaged and financially troubled. The governor and state legislators are important regime actors.
There have been five regimes throughout American History. The first was the first corporate regime was built by John D. Rockefeller and J.P. Morgan from 1865-1901. The second was the progressive regime led by Theodore Roosevelt from 1901-1921. Then came the second corporate regime led by Harding and Hoover during the time from 1921-1933. After that came Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal Regime from 1933-1980. We are currently in the third corporate regime started during Ronald Reagan's presidency in the 1980s.
History of urban America
During the westward expansion period of the 18th and 19th centuries, numerous areas were settled as trading posts along major transportation routes. Sometimes called “walking cities” because of their small size and limited mode of transportation, these areas were economic centers that had not yet experienced the influx of population that came with industrialization and immigrationImmigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
.
As industry and transportation technologies improved, American cities became centers of production and the process of urbanization
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....
began to take place. The country became increasingly urban, and cities grew not only in terms of population but also in size, with skyscrapers pushing cities upward and new transportation systems extending them outward. Part of the urban population growth was fueled by an unprecedented mass immigration to the United States that continued unabated into the first two decades of the twentieth century. Cities became locations of opportunity that drove rural to urban migration, but the waves of people also led to congestion, overcrowded housing, undesirable living conditions, poor sanitation and major health epidemics.
As these problems persisted the rich and affluent citizens left the problems in the central city and moved to the outer edges, thus beginning the first stages of suburbanization that carried on well into the 20th century. Suburbanization
Suburbanization
Suburbanization a term used to describe the growth of areas on the fringes of major cities. It is one of the many causes of the increase in urban sprawl. Many residents of metropolitan regions work within the central urban area, choosing instead to live in satellite communities called suburbs...
boomed following the invention of railroads, automobiles, assembly-line production and telecommunications. Urban America slowly lost its importance and moved toward a metropolitan America that, in most cases, consisted of poor, underdeveloped, old-city centers, surrounded by wealthy, developed suburbs and edge-cities.