Robert Moses
Robert Moses was a twentieth-century New York City urban planner and public works official who never held elected office. By controlling multiple public authorities, he reshaped the transportation and spatial structure of the New York metropolitan area. He is the subject of the biography The Power Broker.
Timeline (last 90 days)
When discretionary power is highly concentrated in an individual and lacks effective checks and balances, decision-makers can systematically exclude dissent while remaining formally legal; Moses's long-term monopoly on planning and construction discretion was precisely its institutional foundation.
Caro argues that Moses's transformation was a process that gradually hardened as his power expanded, whose core feature was that "getting things done" became the sole criterion, causing the legitimacy of means to be banished.
Moses destroyed Epstein's opposition by making known that Epstein had an extramarital affair, rather than re-evaluating the route or debating the arguments.
The Cross Bronx Expressway was built under the leadership of Robert Moses from the late 1940s to the 1950s, with a route through densely populated communities that led to the forced expropriation and relocation of large numbers of residents and shops.
Caro summarized Moses's behavioral pattern as: "If he could find a man's weakness, he would use any means to get things done."
This instrumental view of people treats individuals as exploitable variables and weaknesses as leverage, and once successfully used it reinforces itself because it is more efficient than open debate.
Robert Moses dominated the construction of highways, bridges and parks in the New York area for much of the 20th century, serving as New York City Parks Commissioner and chairman of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, among other posts, but never held elected office.
Robert Moses held key positions at multiple agencies simultaneously, but was never elected.
The Cross Bronx Expressway was planned under Robert Moses's leadership, began construction in 1948, and was completed in 1972.
Caro reveals in "The Power Broker" that Bronx politician Henry Epstein, who opposed the Cross Bronx Expressway, was destroyed by Moses by exposing his extramarital affair.
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All Facts (12)
When discretionary power is highly concentrated in an individual and lacks effective checks and balances, decision-makers can systematically exclude dissent while remaining formally legal; Moses's long-term monopoly on planning and construction discretion was precisely its institutional foundation.
50%UnverifiedCaro argues that Moses's transformation was a process that gradually hardened as his power expanded, whose core feature was that "getting things done" became the sole criterion, causing the legitimacy of means to be banished.
50%UnverifiedMoses destroyed Epstein's opposition by making known that Epstein had an extramarital affair, rather than re-evaluating the route or debating the arguments.
50%UnverifiedThe Cross Bronx Expressway was built under the leadership of Robert Moses from the late 1940s to the 1950s, with a route through densely populated communities that led to the forced expropriation and relocation of large numbers of residents and shops.
50%UnverifiedCaro summarized Moses's behavioral pattern as: "If he could find a man's weakness, he would use any means to get things done."
50%UnverifiedThis instrumental view of people treats individuals as exploitable variables and weaknesses as leverage, and once successfully used it reinforces itself because it is more efficient than open debate.
50%UnverifiedRobert Moses dominated the construction of highways, bridges and parks in the New York area for much of the 20th century, serving as New York City Parks Commissioner and chairman of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, among other posts, but never held elected office.
50%UnverifiedRobert Moses held key positions at multiple agencies simultaneously, but was never elected.
50%UnverifiedThe Cross Bronx Expressway was planned under Robert Moses's leadership, began construction in 1948, and was completed in 1972.
50%UnverifiedCaro reveals in "The Power Broker" that Bronx politician Henry Epstein, who opposed the Cross Bronx Expressway, was destroyed by Moses by exposing his extramarital affair.
50%UnverifiedCaro believes Robert Moses was an idealist in his youth and became increasingly ruthless as his power accumulated.
50%Unverified社会学家Langdon Winner在1980年论文《技术是否有政治性？》中论证技术应用方式反映并强化既有权力关系，并以Robert Moses设计的低矮立交桥为例
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