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Metropolis 2000: Planning, Poverty and Politics |
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reviewed by Nermin Aydemir |
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Author: Thomas Angotti |
ISBN:
0-415-08135-1 |
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Publisher:
Routledge |
Page:
276 |
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Type:
Hardcover |
Price:
$49.95 |
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Review: |
'…The restructuring of production, new communications technology and the revolution of information systems all make possible a drastically reordered metropolis, and ultimately a new international settlement order. However, these phenomena are still very limited. With over half of the world living in poverty, a fourth living in housing unfit for human habitation, and millions still dying from starvation, such future is very far off… '
Metropolitans are increasingly becoming the centre of power not only by their populations exceeding millions but also for being the social, political, economic and cultural magnets. These massive metropolitan areas are both increasing in number and in size every passing day. In 1950, there were two settlements with larger populations than 10 million. In 2005, this number increased to 20, according to the UN urbanization prospects . Although metroplitanization brought significant economic development in the twentieth century, there are significant exceptions to growth. Most of the metropolitan areas are located in the developing nations of Africa, Asia and Latin America and a significant amount of the metropolitans in the more advance regions are hardly developed. Being a city planner in New York and teaching at the New York City University, Thomas Angotti pays emphasis to such issues and brings an innovative understanding in Metropolis 2000: Planning, Poverty and Politics.
The author starts by drawing a sharp distinction between the industrial city and towns that preceded metropolitans. Metropolises are larger, more complex and play a more commanding central role-economic, political and cultural-than the industrial centers, according to Angotti. Metropolitans are urbanized regions with millions of people, powerful international settlements whose economic and political importance exceeds that of any city that that existed in the centuries since the first human settlements thousands of years ago. Unlike the former settlement patterns, the metropolises are more durable settlement forms because of not depending on a single industry or economic activity. Rather, metropolises reflect a new and complex integration of economic activity, including industry, commerce and services throughout the society. Besides, the value of the metropolitan areas goes far beyond their direct economic usefulness to production, distribution and management. The metropolis has substantial social and cultural value, most notably its extensive and diverse opportunities for human interaction . The metropolis in the twentieth century is not just larger city, but a qualitatively new form of human settlement, according to Angotti. Those are relatively large settlements with a developed division of labor including separate functional districts, a central city and suburbs. New and diverse forms of planning, government, management and decision-making are other characteristics of those new types of settlements .
Taking all these into consideration, Angotti regards metroplitanization as “the metropolitan revolution” and draws attention to the lack of understanding in this regard. The metroplitanization is the least understood revolution of the 20th century, although being among the most fascinating. The author praises metropolises for bringing significant developments throughout the world and criticizes the anti-urban approach, which he describes as the anti-urban bias. On the contrary to the Chicago school, Angotti does not take “urban problems” such as social exclusion, unequal social and economic strata, racial segregation, anonymity and increase in criminality granted. Although the author seems to regard an ultimate incorporation in the society as unrealistic, he claims that most of the problems mentioned above can be solved with an effective planning. Throughout his book, Angotti tries to convince his audience that the problem has not been the absence or presence of planning but its erratic quality. Although social, cultural and economic boundaries are too protracted to be eradicated, economic and spatial integration can be achieved within diversity.
Challenging John Friedmann and Saskia Sassen, the best-known architects of world city theory, Angotti opposes the globalist view, which states that a single global system is becoming superimposed on nation-states which are losing importance as a result . Globalization heavily influences the metroplitanization but does not produce a world city system that transcends national institutions, politics and culture, according to the author. The process is mediated everywhere by geographical, cultural, economic and political factors . Angotti categorizes world metropolises into three as US, Soviet and dependent metropolises. Angotti criticizes the US model of metropolis planning for being based on economic and racial inequality, disintegration between different strata in the society and lacking long range plans. During his analysis on US metropolis, Angotti underlines and pays significant attention to the influence of racial inequality on which the segregation in the settlement is based on. The Soviet metropolis is more balanced and more planned and characterized by a relatively integrated social and political structure, limited social mobility and consumer choice. Soviet metropolises have an administrative/residential center and relatively high density suburbs . The author thinks that Soviet urban planners have now a chance to see their virtues and shortcomings after the demise. Planners in the former Soviet countries are advocating the introduction of regulated markets, greater diversity in urban design, decentralized planning, the empowerment of neighborhoods and communities, and an end to “Utopian formalism”, according to Angotti .
All in all, Angotti’s main contribution appears to be the introduction of the “dependent metropolis” concept. As it can be easily understood from the literal meaning of the concept, the author appears to be heavily influenced by the dependency theory, which is based on the asymmetrical relationship between the periphery of the poor and the core of the wealthy. The dependant metropolis refers to those metropolises whose economies depend heavily on the developed capitalist countries, and which usually rely on export industries. Social and economic dualisms, regional polarization, inequalities in urban structure are the main characteristics of those metropolitan areas. The fact that many take these characteristics as given and assume that there will be no solution to these make the situation worse, according to the author. Creation of growth poles around new centers of industrial production, establishment of policies to balance regional development, decentralization of administrative functions by creating a new capital city, strengthening of local government, promotion of local self-help initiatives, and centrally planned equalization are listed as possible solutions to the existing problems.
Contrary to the common understanding, the dependent metropolis in underdeveloped regions is the most prevalent rather than the metropolis of more developed regions in the world. The dependent metropolis carries significant importance because twelve of the largest metropolises are in the underdeveloped regions of the world. Besides, the dependent metropolis is the fastest growing due to the uncontrolled migration and high birth rates. Metropolises are based on inequality. Henceforth, the proliferation of these areas means the reproduction of inequality.
To conclude, Angotti brings an innovative understanding to the field thanks to his practical experienes as city planner in a large metropolis as New York, his theoretical comprehension and his field studies in different metropolises. The author manages to convince his audience that the economic models around which metropolises develop are the issue rather than the metropolises themselves. His work appears to be a significant reference for those who are doing research on metropolises and urban planning, indeed. Still, written 15 years before, his work has shortcomings in explaining the recent transitions in this regard. Future works seem to be needed for shedding light on transformations in former Soviet metropolises as well as those in the booming economies of East Asia.
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about book: |
The problems created by metropolitanization have become increasingly apparent. Attempts to limit growth, disperse populations and plan neighbourhoods have been largely unsuccessful. Strategies are needed to improve the world's major cities for the next century. "Metropolis 2000" offers an analysis of metropolitan development and planning under the different economic and environmental conditions of the world's regions. Attempts to achieve the physical integration of the city without economic equality have failed; the author proposes the principle of "integrated diversity" with its emphasis on the neighbourhood base and a broader vision of an integrated metropolis. Applying a political economy approach, the author argues for pro-urban thinking. Individual chapters focus on the dominant regimes of urbanization and models of planning in North America, Europe, the former Soviet Union and the developing nations of the South. The author states that only when the metropolis is understood as a necessary and beneficial acccompaniment to social progress can a progressive, humane approach to city planning be developed.
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