CITY, VOL. 13, NOS. 2–3, JUNE–SEPTEMBER 2009 From critical urban theory to the right to the city Peter Marcuse Taylor and Francis The right to the city is becoming, in theory and in practice, a widespread, effective formula- tion of a set of demands to be actively thought through and pursued. But whose right, what right and to what city? Each question is examined in turn, first in the historical context of 1968 in which Henri Lefebvre first popularized the phrase, then in its meaning for the guidance of action. The conclusion suggests that exposing, proposing and politicizing the key issues can move us closer to implementing this right. I. Introduction: overview and definitions important words and concepts. (One might argue that ‘theory and practice’ are really he main concern of this paper is only one word in this context, but that’s what I take to be the ultimate truer in theory than in practice.) T purpose of critical urban theory: ‘Critical’ I take to be, among other implementing the demand for a Right to things, shorthand for an evaluative attitude the City. But that is a demand, a goal, that towards reality, a questioning rather than an needs definition. Whose right is it about, acceptance of the world as it is, a taking what right is it and to what city? The paper apart and examining and attempting to begins with a look at the actual problems understand the world. It leads to a position that people face today, and then looks at not only necessarily critical in the sense of them in their historical context, focusing negative criticism, but also critically expos- on the difference between the crisis of 1968, ing the positive and the possibilities of which produced the demand for the Right change, implying positions on what is to the City, and the crisis we confront wrong and needing change, but also on Downloaded By: [Queen Mary & Westfield College] At: 18:01 24 September 2010 today. The question then is: how do we what is desirable and needs to be built on understand the Right to the City today, and fostered. and how can a critical urban theory ‘Urban’ I take to be shorthand for the contribute to implementing it? The paper societal as congealed in cities today, and to suggests an approach to action that relies denote the point at which the rubber of the on three steps a critical theory could follow: personal hits the ground of the societal, the exposing, proposing and politicizing. The intersection of everyday life with the socially conclusion presents a perhaps far-fetched created systemic world about us. idea of what the possibilities for large-scale ‘Theory’ I take to be the attempt to under- and enduring social change might actually stand, to explain and to illuminate the mean- be today. Is another world not only possi- ing and possibilities of the world in which ble, but realistically attainable? practice takes place. It is, in a sense, the A word on the use of terms. ‘Critical’, conscious and articulated aspect of practice, ‘urban’, ‘theory’ and ‘practice’ are four of action. It is developed through action, and ISSN 1360-4813 print/ISSN 1470-3629 online/09/02-30185-13 © 2009 Taylor & Francis DOI: 10.1080/13604810902982177 186 CITY VOL. 13, NOS. 2–3 in turn informs understanding and under- The election of Obama was seen as a girds practice. dramatic event, not only in the USA but in ‘Practice’ is often spoken of as if it were the world. What does it in fact mean? What the Siamese twin of theory, because it is has changed, and what has not? Answering needed for theory and because theory the question requires exactly critical theory. should lead to practice if it is taken seri- For the answer is, in conventional terms, ously. The image is of a theory and a prac- everything has changed, but as well, in critical tice that are linked organically, that a critical terms, nothing has changed—and it is the theory depends on a critical practice and a ability of critical theory to say what has and critical practice depends on a critical theory. what hasn’t changed that entitles it to an But it is not so simple. The Paris Commune, important place in our thinking and action. a classical example of critical practice, began What has changed is that the use of racism as with no ‘theory’, and leading exponents of a support for economic and social policies critical theory saw their work as Flaschen- that exploit and oppress has become counter- post, in Adorno’s words, analysis written productive, as racism is rejected by more and down and put in a bottle thrown in the more people (although not by all) as contrary ocean hoping it would some day be retrieved to their own experiences and values. And we and be useful. But it may have been one of still have institutional racism, so that for the failings of the mainstream of critical every dollar of wealth held by the typical theory that it saw itself evolving indepen- white family the African American family has dently of practice, and it may similarly have only ten cents (Lui, 2009, p. A15). What has been a weakness of some forms of critical not changed is the underlying structure of the action that they proceeded uninformed and society in which the election took place, even rejecting critical theory, as in the We neither politically—this was the most expen- Are the Poors approach (Desai, 2002) and in sive campaign in the history of the USA, and some forms of anarchist and communitarian the media’s role in it was enormous—nor action.1 economically—the Goldman Sachs crew who In any event, as used here, critical urban are running the national treasury, and their theory is taken as analysis that flows from economist academic minions, are running the the experience of practice in developing the Federal government’s economic role after potentials of existing urban society, and criti- Obama’s election as they did before, and the cal theory is intended to illuminate and $700 billion bail-out for the financial sector inform the future course of such practice. already authorized will be implemented in The sections that follow discuss the reality full, if not expanded. Even the staid New today and its history, the right to the city in York Times writes: Downloaded By: [Queen Mary & Westfield College] At: 18:01 24 September 2010 terms of whose right, what right and what city, solutions in terms of the formulation ‘Goldman’s presence in the [US Treasury] Expose, Propose, Politicize and finally, department is so ubiquitous that other getting to the goal. bankers and competitors have given the star- studded firm a new nickname; Government Sachs.’ (Creswell and White, 2008, p. 1) II. The reality today and its history Another aspect of the US presidential elec- Today tion campaign that led up to the election result is noteworthy, and ties in with a major As this is written, two developments shape argument I want to make here. Both parties the context for our analysis: the election of ran under the slogan of ‘Change’; Obama’s Barack Obama as president of the USA and was ‘Change you can believe in’, McCain the deepening economic crisis globally. highlighted his maverick, non-conformist MARCUSE: FROM CRITICAL URBAN THEORY TO THE RIGHT TO THE CITY 187 record every chance he got. Close to 50% system go. Calling greed ‘the profit motive’ is saw the change needed as being in one direc- a euphemism that tries to justify a system tion, close to 50% saw it in another, but that relies on greed to produce growth at the hardly anyone was satisfied with things as expense of all other values, and that stifles they are. If critical urban theory is able to creativity that does not serve profit. Anti- expose the roots of that dissatisfaction, and abortion activists, religious fundamentalists, show both almost equal halves that their defenders of ‘family values’, are as much a dissatisfaction is with the same features of the reflection of emotional impoverishment as economy, the politics, the society, it will have hunger and homelessness are of material done its job. deprivation. A society one-dimensional in The other development, already unfolding its driving force produces one-dimensional as the election took place, is the economic people, and struggles to be supported by crisis. I focus on the USA, but the picture them. The victims of the system include both is similar globally. In the USA today, over the materially deprived and the intellectually 6 million households (Credit Suisse, 2008) and socially alienated, as is explored below. face mortgage foreclosure, unemployment is The history of the Right to the City as a rising to a several decades-long high, home- slogan dealing with such problems came into less use of emergency shelters is at an all-time widespread usage largely out of the events— high in New York City, real wages are falling the theory and the practice—of May 1968 in way behind increases in productivity, the gap Paris, and their parallels worldwide. Further between rich and poor is growing. The finan- discussion requires a look at that history, cial crisis seems to be spreading, to engulf what preceded it, how it compares to the more and more people, to cause more and events of today. more unemployment, insecurity, hunger and want, a greater and greater dissatisfaction with conditions as they are, with inequality, History: before and after 1968 luxury in the midst of poverty, illiteracy, substantive as well as linguistic, selfishness in ‘Crisis?’ Capitalism has always been a system place of solidarity, isolation in place of love.