Executive Summary

Lessons from the Past for Urban Policy in the Era of Trump

The stunning election of Donald Trump as president throws the future of urban policy into doubt. During the campaign he promised to bring new jobs and improved infrastructure to the inner cities, but so far he has furnished no details. Some of the strategies carried out by cities and states in the past may offer the incoming administration some guidance.

 

 

Is Joel Kotkin Economic Development’s Martin Luther?

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Joel Kotkin, The New Class Conflict The book jacket describes Joel Kotkin's the New Class Conflict as a "call to arms and a unique piece of analysis about the possible evolution of our society into an increasingly quasi-feudal order". The image of Kotkin as Martin Luther posting his famous 95 Theses came to my mind  Using metaphors gleaned from the medieval world, Kotkin, the iconoclastic but extraordinarily insightful  master of Curmudgeons, describes a new ruling class he believes dominate much of contemporary America. What has this got to do with economic development? Plenty! Kotkin's description/critique of this New Class and its devastating consequences to our society and economy delivers a powerful blow to several prominent economic development strategies. Anyone in economic development can't ignore this book--no more than the Pope could ignore the Protestant Reformation. Continue Reading...