Robert Moses was able to accumulate the power to build all of the highways, bridges, housing and parkland he did by hiding behind what the New York public authority stood for. While Moses wanted to dedicate his life to public service from a young age, his motives changed along the way and he no longer had the public welfare in mind. Although he wore the face of a public service servant, behind the scenes, he ran a corrupted political system — giving people what they wanted as long as they fulfilled his requests. Moses was able to manipulate the public and other city officials to serve his own interests by airing the dirty laundry of his adversaries with the help of the media. During his reign, Moses’ power over the people and city officials allowed him to step on the people he was supposed to serve and spend money carelessly, without consequence. At the expense of the poor, Moses was able to seize property, and build the face of New York City. Behind the walls of the public authority, Moses used his skills of manipulation, blackmail, business, and organization to erect the infrastructure that defines New York to this day.
