City Power: Urban Governance in a Global Age

A Conversation with Professor Richard Schragger about his book, the limits of city power, and what we owe to each other.

We live in a limited-powers republic.

That doesn’t mean we’re powerless to affect change in our own lives and in the lives of others. In fact, as Richard Schragger argues, we owe it to each other to get involved.

His book, which I’ve written about having a profound effect on how I think about cities, argues that the role of local decision-makers has been artificially suppressed by both politics and a misreading of policy and economic doctrine.

Think a city will collapse if it institutes a minimum wage? Think again. Think building an arts’ district will automatically lead to a resurgence? Rethink that, too.

The truth, as some will say, is fungible. Especially if boosters learn to lie with numbers, graphs and fantastical oratory.

He argues, and provides evidence, for the expanded role of city (and suburban! and rural!) leaders to provide better municipal services—think basic life (health), liberty (transportation) and the pursuit of happiness (access to public amenities).

I’m not going t…