Robert Moses essentially shaped New York City into what it is today. He was a man of great power and influence, and whether you believe he did more harm than good or vice versa, it is without a doubt that he impacted New York City. In The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert Caro and Robert Moses and the Modern City: The Transformation of New York by Hillary Ballon and Kenneth T. Jackson, we are taken on a journey through which both the pro’s and con’s are weighed concerning what Moses accomplished. While Moses did connect New York City through use of parkways, highways, parks, pools, and fancy buildings, he managed to displace ~250,000 people doing so. Therefore, the question is, what right did he have to ruin the lives of thousands? Is it possible/appropriate to enjoy something that caused so much pain and suffering?
In A Town Revived, A Villain Redeemed, journalist Phillip Lopate discusses what lights that have been shone on Robert Moses. In the Power Broker book, at least from what we have been given to read, both sides of Robert Moses are shown. It’s discussed that the Tammany government was not using any taxes from the citizens to construct and revitalize New York City, and Robert Moses came in and effectively forced government funding to be funneled towards rebuilding our city, but destroyed anyone that got in his path. In the Modern City, it’s primarily just discussed how Robert Moses shaped New York City and Long Island through building parks and pools.
Lopate puts forth the idea that if we like our modern city, we have to thank Robert Moses. Truthfully, he is right. Without Robert Moses, it’s probable that I would have no easy way to commute to Queens College from Long Island, and my already dreadful commute would be even worse. There would most likely be far less playgrounds and pools for families to enjoy and Lincoln Center would not be the landmark it is today. We can admire all the parks, the layout of the highways, and the way these luxurious buildings look because they are what make New York City today.
Or we can hate the way everything was designed and built and be frustrated at Robert Moses for uprooting and destroying hundreds of thousands of lower-income lives.
Lopate quoted a professor saying “The important questions, however, are not about whether Moses was prejudiced — no doubt he was — but whether that prejudice was something upon which he acted frequently.” Apparently in modern day society it is still possible to excuse a rich, old, white man for destroying the lives of people of color and other lower-income peoples. To be able to say that someone is without a doubt prejudice but claim the way they destroyed lives was not because of their prejudice is slightly ridiculous. Was it his right to do this because of a modernized “White Man’s Burden?” He took away land from those who were economically disadvantaged, typically people of color, and told everyone it was the right thing to do to make New York City better.
It’s a moral dilemma figuring out whether we should be ashamed for enjoying what a racist, old man built. The best solution at this point might just be to remember and fight to prevent more lives from being destroyed. Robert Moses is vital to the history of New York City, and will forever be remembered as both an innovator and a menace to lower-class society.
Caro, Robert A. Wait Until Evening. “The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York.” (pp 4-21)
Caro, Robert A. New York City: Before Robert Moses. “The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York.” (pp 323-346)
Gutman, Marta. “Equipping the Public Realm Rethinking Robert Moses and Recreation.”
Lopate, Phillip. “A Town Revived, a Villain Redeemed.” The New York Times. February 10, 2007. Accessed February 22, 2017. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/11/nyregion/thecity/11moses.html?pagewanted=all.
