POLITICAL CAPITAL In Neighborhoods & Communities Chapter 5 Flora, Flora and Fey.

POLITICAL CAPITALPOLITICAL CAPITALIn Neighborhoods & CommunitiesIn Neighborhoods & Communities

Chapter 5Chapter 5

Flora, Flora and FeyFlora, Flora and Fey

Betting LinesBetting Lines

The race is not always to the swift, or the battle to the strong, but that is the way to bet. Damon Runyon

Never attribute to malicethat which can beadequately explainedby stupidity Nick Diamos

Why Discuss This as Planners Why Discuss This as Planners or Design/Builders?or Design/Builders?

It is neither wise nor practical to work with It is neither wise nor practical to work with a community, either at the macro or micro a community, either at the macro or micro scale, unless you knowscale, unless you know– Who runs thingsWho runs things– Who you can work with; who you should avoidWho you can work with; who you should avoid– What pushes this community’s buttonWhat pushes this community’s button– Where decisions are makeWhere decisions are make– When do things happenWhen do things happen

RULE # 1 – Never, never let them see you sweat

Top Ten Dumbest Political Top Ten Dumbest Political Quotes of the YearQuotes of the Year

I think that gay marriage should be between a man and a woman." —Arnold Schwarzenegger, during the California recall campaign

The Golden RuleThe Golden Rule

Its all about politics:Ideas are great arrows, but there has to be a bow. And politics is the bow of idealism. Bill Moyers

To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right. Confucius

The Democrats seem to be basically nicer people, but they have demonstrated time and again that they have the management skills of celery. They're the kind of people who'd stop to help you change a flat, but would somehow manage to set your car on fire. I would be reluctant to entrust them with a Cuisinart, let alone the economy. The Republicans, on the other hand, would know how to fix your tire, but they wouldn't bother to stop because they'd want to be on time for Ugly Pants Night at the country club. Dave Berry

Basic DefinitionsBasic Definitions

Political/Politics Political/Politics The art of the possibleThe art of the possible The process of who gets what, where and The process of who gets what, where and

whenwhen

Political CapitalPolitical Capital Organization, connections, voice & powerOrganization, connections, voice & power The ability of a group to influence the The ability of a group to influence the

allocation of resources and benefits with allocation of resources and benefits with the communitythe community

Powerspeak – The language of Powerspeak – The language of local politicslocal politics

1.1. All politics is localAll politics is local

2.2. Follow the moneyFollow the money

3.3. Just ask who benefitsJust ask who benefits

4.4. The two faces of powerThe two faces of power

5.5. Dance with the one the brought you Dance with the one the brought you (power is not born – it is created)(power is not born – it is created)

6.6. The stink of power lingers long after The stink of power lingers long after the title is extinguishedthe title is extinguished

The Voice of PowerThe Voice of Power

Models of Community PowerModels of Community Power

Sectorial or Methods ModelsSectorial or Methods Models1.1. Those in official positions in each Those in official positions in each

sector of the community have sector of the community have predominant influence or powerpredominant influence or power

2.2. People throughout the community are People throughout the community are well aware of who has powerwell aware of who has power

3.3. Power is transferred from persons to Power is transferred from persons to person over the years with different person over the years with different elections and circumstanceselections and circumstances

Community Power ModelsCommunity Power Models

Elitist or Reputation ModelsElitist or Reputation Models1.1. A small, close knit group of individuals has power A small, close knit group of individuals has power

and they agree on major issuesand they agree on major issues

2.2. They hang together against opposition & changeThey hang together against opposition & change

3.3. There main source of power is in being able to There main source of power is in being able to influence decision makers and create a status quoinfluence decision makers and create a status quo

4.4. Their characteristics are diverse and do not Their characteristics are diverse and do not necessarily represent any one social or economic necessarily represent any one social or economic class – (however, that is not the way to bet).class – (however, that is not the way to bet).

5.5. They can impose extreme sanctions on reformistsThey can impose extreme sanctions on reformists

Community Power ModelsCommunity Power Models

The PluralistsThe Pluralists1.1. Life is hell and people grab power because Life is hell and people grab power because

they get in line first and use their they get in line first and use their characteristics to demand allegiancecharacteristics to demand allegiance

2.2. They disagree on major issues and must build They disagree on major issues and must build coalitionscoalitions

3.3. Coalitions change frequentlyCoalitions change frequently4.4. People perceive that a great many are People perceive that a great many are

involved in community decision makinginvolved in community decision making5.5. Some people have more/different skills and Some people have more/different skills and

are more effective than others in some areasare more effective than others in some areas

Community Power ModelsCommunity Power Models The Growth MachineThe Growth Machine

1.1. There is a close knit group of people – bankers, There is a close knit group of people – bankers, owners, merchants, developers, realtors, owners, merchants, developers, realtors, insurance who influence community decision insurance who influence community decision making; in short, those that receive their main making; in short, those that receive their main income from propertyincome from property

2.2. They have different politics, but they are close They have different politics, but they are close knit when it comes to the creation of wealthknit when it comes to the creation of wealth

3.3. They are the chief supporters for initiatives for They are the chief supporters for initiatives for town growth; they are what we call the town growth; they are what we call the stakeholdersstakeholders

4.4. In some cases they can be restrained from In some cases they can be restrained from making some decisions if they perceive highly making some decisions if they perceive highly negative public reactionnegative public reaction

The ModelsThe Models

ELITIST MODEL

Pluralist Model

Growth Machine

Sectors

Overview of One ModelOverview of One Model

C Wright Mills – “The Power Elite”C Wright Mills – “The Power Elite”– The Power Elite is a coalition of The Power Elite is a coalition of

government officials, business government officials, business executives, military leaders, executives, military leaders, industrialists, and very wealthy that run industrialists, and very wealthy that run the systemthe system

– The Atlanta reputation methodThe Atlanta reputation methodSocial and class stratification

Counter TheoryCounter Theory

Polyarchy (not Oligarchy)Polyarchy (not Oligarchy)– Robert Dahl and others disdain the elite Robert Dahl and others disdain the elite

modelsmodels– Power holders are fluid and contentiousPower holders are fluid and contentious– Battles between social conservatives, Battles between social conservatives,

moderates, liberals, environmentalists, moderates, liberals, environmentalists, and traditionalistand traditionalist

– Is this system, the mediators and Is this system, the mediators and bridgers gain a great deal of powerbridgers gain a great deal of power

Another Counter TheoryAnother Counter Theory Local Politics – You Can Crash As Fast As Local Politics – You Can Crash As Fast As

You RiseYou Rise1.1. Those that do not take ownership in a Those that do not take ownership in a

community are powerlesscommunity are powerless2.2. Democracy assures that a people get what Democracy assures that a people get what

they deservethey deserve3.3. The more you have at stake, the more you The more you have at stake, the more you

want to influence control over others – who want to influence control over others – who backed the American Revolution?backed the American Revolution?

4.4. Power is not always to the wealthy, well Power is not always to the wealthy, well educated, the best looking, and the most educated, the best looking, and the most socially successful; power is often to the ugly, socially successful; power is often to the ugly, the crass, the bully, the prophet and those the crass, the bully, the prophet and those that have “found Jesus’that have “found Jesus’

Power Is Not Always To the Power Is Not Always To the Wealthy and Good LookingWealthy and Good Looking

Where Does This Leave the Where Does This Leave the Small Town/City?Small Town/City?

Political style and model is highly size and place Political style and model is highly size and place dependent; political capital, like financial capital, dependent; political capital, like financial capital, is a cumulative resourceis a cumulative resource

In the typical local town, power is exercised in the In the typical local town, power is exercised in the form of “slack”form of “slack”

Slack is a form of opportunity that occurs when Slack is a form of opportunity that occurs when two or more groups in contention for policy cancel two or more groups in contention for policy cancel each other out and allow the less-likely to each other out and allow the less-likely to operator in the power vacuum – or when no one operator in the power vacuum – or when no one wants to float that particular boatwants to float that particular boat

Classically, small town power is a clash between a Classically, small town power is a clash between a growth machine and an anti-growth collation growth machine and an anti-growth collation

Issues in the ClashIssues in the Clash

Keeping wages lowKeeping wages low No growth versus growth economyNo growth versus growth economy No tax or spending increasesNo tax or spending increases Town beautificationTown beautification Local regulationsLocal regulations Economic developmentEconomic development

And the battle over whether or not to allow aliens safe haven in the community

The General ConclusionThe General Conclusion

We do not vote for the people who actually run our communities

Parting ShotsParting Shots

George Bush was not elected by a majority of the voters in the United States. He was appointed by God." —Lt. Gen. William Boykin, the defense undersecretary in charge of hunting down top terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan

"My vision is to make the most diverse state on earth, and we have people from every planet on the earth in this state. We have the sons and daughters of every, of people from every planet, of every country on earth." —Former California Gov. Gray Davis, during the recall campaign

"Reports that say that something hasn't happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns — the ones we don't know we don't know." —Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld

Simple Local PoliticsSimple Local Politics