Robert Moses

Robert Moses (December 18, 1888 – July 29, 1981) was the master builder of 20th century New York City and its suburbs. As the shaper of a modern city, one of his few peers is Baron Haussmann of Second Empire Paris, and he was easily the most polarizing figure in the history of urban planning. Although he never held elective office, Moses was arguably the most powerful person in New York City government from the 1930s to the 1950s. Moses literally changed shorelines, built roadways in the sky, and transformed vibrant neighborhoods forever. His decisions favoring highways over public transport formed the modern suburbs of Long Island and influenced a generation of engineers, architects, and urban planners who spread his philosophies across the nation. Moses was not without his critics, however. These critics have pointed to many things that they say taint Moses' legacy. The most common criticisms of Moses include the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people in New York City, contributing to the ruin of the South Bronx and the amusement parks of Coney Island, the departure of the Brooklyn Dodgers, and the decline of public transport. On the other hand, Moses' projects were also considered by many to be necessary for the region's development, and Moses participated in the construction of two huge World's Fairs, one in 1939 and the other in 1964. To Moses' critics, however, he will always be remembered for believing that "cities are for traffic," and "if the ends don't justify the means, what does?"

Legacy and lasting impact

The bridges of Robert Moses are an exemplary and disputed topic in the sociology of technology. The main question is, how much ideology and politics can be built into technology and infrastructure, such as bridges. (cf. Langdon Winner, "Do Artifacts Have Politics?" in Daedalus, Vol. 109, No. 1, Winter 1980, and reactions on that article, e.g. by Bernward Joerges).

Related Topics:
Sociology of technology - Langdon Winner - Daedalus - Bernward Joerges

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Aside from the sociological view of Moses' 'accomplishments', there lies the question of urban destruction and suburban mobilization. While not singlehandedly responsible for these things, of course, it seems Moses' work embodied many of the things which characterize the suburban revolution—making inner city uninhabitable, and clearing the way for the vehicle instead of human (and thus making it possible for those same inner city residents to travel outward). While at once a good thing (for it allowed those who were cramped in inner city spaces to flourish outward) it was poor for the environment and for people in general (for it began the suburban 'Identity crisis', or lack of sense of place) and has since begun to be reversed to an extent in some locales by careful, planned steps, by the government, private sector and people alike. (Nowhere is this trend more notable than in Portland, Oregon.)

Related Topics:
Suburb - Portland, Oregon

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A testament to the enduring nature of his impact can be found in the various locations and roadways in New York State that bear Moses' name. These include two state parks (one in Massena, New York, the other on Long Island), the Robert Moses Causeway on Long Island, the Robert Moses Parkway in Niagara Falls, New York, and the Robert Moses Hydro-Electric Dam (the source of the majority of New York City's electricity), also in Niagara Falls. Moses also has a school named after him in

Related Topics:
Massena, New York - Niagara Falls, New York

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North Babylon, New York on Long Island.

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