Strong Towns’ critique of America’s car-centric sprawl sounds appealing. But its proposed solutions rely on a conservative politics that prioritizes ‘wealth creation’ over just and equitable urban planning.
Strong Towns’ critique of America’s car-centric sprawl sounds appealing. But its proposed solutions rely on a conservative politics that prioritizes ‘wealth creation’ over just and equitable urban planning.
I think that title’s unfair, and that the approaches advocated by Strong Towns are probably closer to small-government Georgism, or Georgist municipalism.
The fact that the folks behind it identify as conservative is indeed a reason to, well, stay sharp and skeptical, but I think their flavor of conservatism is actually in direct conflict with most Americans who identify as such. Sort of like these folks actually believe what’s commonly used as distracting rhetoric.
Then again, I’m probably outside the main demographic of this community, I’m critical of big centralized power, and I’m a fan of both urbanism and land value taxation, so I get it if you judge that I’ve been had here.