Politics of Integration in Metropolitan Areas

• Author: Victor Jones
• DOI: 10.1177/000271624020700121
• Published date: 01 January 1940
• Date: 01 January 1940
• Subject Matter: Articles

Politics of Integration in Metropolitan Areas
By VICTOR JONES
l-[1HE politics of integration are the
the rural and village districts of the re-
moist important aspect of the prob-
mainder of the state. These groups are
lem. Experts can suggest any number
treated as if they were homogeneous,
of devices for complete or partial in-
although supplementary appeals are
tegration. Technicians can draft stat-
sometimes directed to the electors as
utes or charters and are prepared to
businessmen, professional men, laborers,
supervise their installation. The diffi-
or farmers.
It is an error, however, to
culty, or the dilemma if the term is
plan a campaign on the assumption that
preferred, lies in securing legislative or
all residents of metropolitan areas out-
electoral approval. Venerable and ac-
side the central city are of one mind.
cepted symbols are present on all sides
There are many kinds of suburbs,
to serve as material for the rationaliza-
even within the broad classifications of
tion of opposition, sincere or otherwise,
industrial and residential. The residen-
to integration. There has been little
tial suburbs may be predominantly com-
success up to now in transforming the
posed of laborers, middle-class com-
unfavorable stereotypes held by a large
muters, or wealthy families; industrial
number of suburban dwellers, rural and
suburbs may be under the influence of
small-town folk outside metropolitan
a single large corporation or they may
areas, legislators from these groups, and
contain many small and medium-sized
jurists who construe constitutions, stat-
plants. Suburbs differ from one another
utes, and charters.
according to their relative social and
The configuration of attitudes in a
economic coalescence with the central
metropolitan area toward a proposal to
city. Historical traditions are thick in
integrate local government is both static
suburbs which were originally founded
and dynamic. It tends to be static in
as isolated towns or villages, only later
that attitudes are rationalized around
to be overwhelmed by the movement of
traditional conceptions of local self-gov-
population from the big city. Other
ernment. migrants to the metropolitan
suburbs have never enjoyed a distinct
area hold on to their conception of the
communal existence, having been cre-
local government pattern of their home
ated as real estate promotion schemes.
village or small city. On the other
In addition to distinctions which may
hand, the heterogeneity of the metropolis
be used to characterize municipalities as
presents a variety of stimuli to cause the
a whole, innumerable groupings of the
voter to react in several possible ways
residents representing wide differences in
’
to an integration proposal.
economic status and power, religious af-
filiations and attitudes, cultural contacts
DIVERSE INTERESTS
and background, party affiliations, occu-
Proponents of integration have failed
pational interests, and racial and na-
to recognize the diversity of interests
tional loyalties, work within and across
which might be used as bases of appeals
the boundaries of counties and munici-
for affirmative votes on integration pro-
palities. The politics of a large city and
posals. They usually divide the elec-
its metropolitan area are, it has been
torate into voters of the central city,
well said, &dquo;as much of a tangle and as
the suburbs, and, where constitutional
full of movement as a canful of angle-
amendments or statutes are required,
worms.&dquo;
161

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162
What groups in the metropolis have a
side area and population within the city
special interest in the integration of lo-
of Pittsburgh. Until 1921 the tradi-
cal governments? What groups are op-
tional type of municipal expansion by
posed to integration? What support
annexation was promoted and encour-
have the advocates or the opponents of
aged by the Chamber. Its activities
integration secured from groups &dquo;down-
were persistently opposed during that
state&dquo; or &dquo;upstate&dquo;? How have these
time by the League of Boroughs and
groups rationalized their interests and
Townships of Allegheny County. Be-
around what symbols have they built
tween 1921 and 1923 the Chamber was
their rationalizations? And finally, what
on record as favoring the creation by
techniques of appeal or persuasion have
the legislature of an ad hoc public works
they resorted to, and how success-
district to cover a large part of the
fully have they employed these tech-
county. The proposal was not vigor-
niques ?
ously pushed, however, and nothing was
accomplished. Since 1923 the Chamber
BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL
has in the main co-operated with other
GROUPS
groups, including the League of Bor-
In many instances, agitation for a
oughs and Townships, in a long, and as
metropolitan government or for annexa-
yet unsuccessful, campaign to federate
tion to another municipality is provoked
the local units into a county-wide gov-
by objections to specific situations such
ernment to be known as Metropolitan
as unpopular officials,...