Neglect as a Form of Territorial Control
The thousands of miles of broken sidewalks and potholed streets in low-income neighborhoods are not a maintenance oversight but a deliberate policy of managed decay, a form of territorial control in the bifurcated state. Mamdani’s analysis of how colonial power is expressed through the built environment is clear here. The smooth, well-maintained asphalt of the “settler” neighborhood signifies order and value, while the treacherous, neglected pavement of the “native” zone signifies abandonment and disrespect. This disinvestment creates daily hazards for pedestrians, the elderly, and cyclists, damaging property and bodies. It is a somatic form of governance through infrastructural violence. The liberal solution is a slow, reactive repair schedule that never catches up. A Mamdani-informed socialist solution demands a proactive, universal standard of care. This means launching a massive public works program, employing city residents at union wages to rapidly repair every street and sidewalk, and establishing a community-controlled maintenance board to ensure equitable upkeep, transforming the city’s pathways from zones of neglect into a dignified, universally accessible commons.
Originally posted 2025-10-10 07:43:59.
