The story of Robert Moses is one that symbolizes the story of New York. As we all know, Moses was an opportunist that just so happened to be at the right place at the right time. We can thank Moses for many of the great public spaces that many high school seniors enjoy on their senior skip day, like Jones Beach and Coney Island.
The question at hand is whether Robert Moses is a Master Builder or an Evil Genius? Now, it is clear that during Moses’ peak he was seen as the messiah of public spaces, but once you look into his history, the evil genius thrives. To put it plainly, he was both. In 1981, the New York Times regarded Moses as a Master Builder in the title of his obituary. However, in 2007 (only 26 years after his death) the same publication called him “highhanded, racist, and contemptuous of the poor”.
The more I read about Moses, the more I realized how similar his business model was to Apple’s. Create a problem, sell the solution. With rising number of cars being sold in the United States, it was clear that there was a need for paved roads. However, having a car was a luxury that only middle-high income families could afford. Thankfully for those wealthy families, that was the public that he served. Public money that could have been used for public transportation was reallocated to create his massive projects that served only a specific population.
A perfect example of Moses’ projects that underserved the community was the creation of the Cross-Bronx Expressway. In an attempt to solve the traffic problem that he created, Moses recommended the creation several parkways that stretched across 4 boroughs. Moses parted the Bronx like the Red Sea with the creation of this expressway. The Cross Bronx displaced thousands of families while dividing the Bronx with the higher income residents living in the north and the lower income families migrating south. To make the situation worse, there was another proposal that could have significantly reduce the number of displaced families.
In addition to his great public projects, it is no secret that Robert Moses had an impressive resume. His many jobs included Commissioner of the Parks Department, Chairman of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, and head of the State Parks Council to name a few.
However, he acquired all of this power through his public project, not by the will of the people. Moses did try running for Governor of New York in 1934 but lost by over 800,000 votes.
The tale of Robert Moses is like the Tale of Two Cities, he was a great man who contributions shaped the New York that we know today. He was also an evil genius with no regard to the poor. I believe Moses was an evil genius BECAUSE he was a master builder. He knew that the city needed him, and with that power came his great irresponsibility.
Site Used:
“Robert Moses and the Modern Park System (1929-1965).” Robert Moses and the Modern Park System (1929–1965) : Online Historic Tour : NYC Parks, www.nycgovparks.org/about/history/timeline/robert-moses-modern-parks.
Goldberger, Paul. “Robert Moses, Master Builder, Is Dead at 92.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 30 July 1981, archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/1218.html.
Powell, Michael. “A Tale of Two Cities.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 5 May 2007, www.nytimes.com/2007/05/06/nyregion/thecity/06hist.html.
Chatelain, Phillipe Martin. “5 Things in NYC We Can Blame on Robert Moses.” Untapped Cities, 25 Aug. 2016, untappedcities.com/2013/12/18/5-things-in-nyc-we-can-blame-on-robert-moses/5/.
