Timothy P. R. Weaver, "Inequality, Crime, and Resistance in New York City" (Temple UP, 2025)
Mar 1, 2025
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Timothy Weaver, an associate professor of political science at the University at Albany, explores the tumultuous political landscape of New York City in his discussion. He delves into the interplay between conservativism, neoliberalism, and egalitarianism, revealing how these forces shape power dynamics and community responses. Weaver discusses the city's fiscal crisis in 1975 and its aftermath, the rise of law-and-order politics, and the role of social movements like Occupy and Black Lives Matter in challenging inequality. His insights illuminate the city's complex political and social fabric.
New York City's political evolution since the 1970s signifies a struggle between neoliberalism and egalitarianism shaped by fiscal crises and social movements.
Eric Adams' mayorship epitomizes the tension between punitive policing and the pursuit of economic relief for working-class residents amid contrasting political ideologies.
Deep dives
Historical Context of New York City’s Political Orders
New York City experienced a significant shift in its political landscape following the fiscal crisis of 1975, moving from an egalitarian order characterized by robust public services to a more neoliberal economic framework. Prior to the crisis, the city was known for extensive public services and a strong labor movement, where the working class had substantial political influence. However, the crisis revealed the limitations of creative accounting practices and led to cuts in public spending, resulting in a weakened welfare state and a transition towards austerity measures. This change set the stage for the emergence of neoliberal policies that prioritized tax cuts and deregulation over public investment.
Neoliberalism and Its Impact on Economic Policies
The political development of New York City since the 1970s illustrates a dominance of neoliberal ideals, particularly during the tenures of mayors like Ed Koch, Rudy Giuliani, and Michael Bloomberg. The city embraced a model that favored economic growth through tax incentives and deregulation, with significant reductions in public spending on social programs. This political environment led to stark economic inequality, as finance and real estate interests gained prominence, often at the expense of marginalized communities. The shift towards a neoliberal agenda coincided with an increase in punitive policing practices, as city leaders opted for law-and-order solutions rather than addressing underlying social issues.
The Role of Eric Adams in Evolving Political Dynamics
Eric Adams represents a complex figure within the narrative of New York City’s political evolution, embodying elements from the neoliberal, conservative, and egalitarian orders. His approach as mayor combines a commitment to heavy policing policies while also supporting initiatives that benefit working-class New Yorkers, such as enhancing the federal earned income tax credit. This duality reflects the ongoing tension between maintaining public order through punitive measures and addressing socioeconomic disparities through targeted economic relief. Overall, Adams' leadership highlights the interplay of different political ideologies and their impacts on the city's governance.
Looking closely at New York City's political development since the 1970s, three "political orders"--conservativism, neoliberalism, and egalitarianism--emerged. In Inequality, Crime, and Resistance in New York City, Timothy Weaver argues that the intercurrent impact of these orders has created a constant battle for power.
Weaver brings these clashes to the fore by showing how New York City politics has been shaped by these conflicting orders. He examines the transformation of the city's political economy in the aftermath of the 1975 fiscal crisis through neoliberal real estate development and privatization, the conservative rise of law-and-order politics in the 1970s to 1990s, and the efforts of the city's egalitarians to respond to each of these shifts through social movements such as Occupy and Black Lives Matter.
Inequality, Crime, and Resistance in New York City(Temple UP, 2025) belies glib assumptions about the city's liberal character. Weaver reveals the metropolis not as a homogenous political whole, but as a site in which the victories and defeats of rival political forces change the terms of local citizenship for the millions of residents who call the city home.