The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York

Moses was an idealistic youth. The more time he spent in government, however, the further removed he became from his idealism. As a young man, Moses sought to change the world, particularly the structure of the civic government. His long report on inefficiency and the recommendations he proposed to New York were broadly rejected by the political system, even if many people agreed that change was necessary. At the same time, Moses’s proposals here are another example of hypocritical thinking; while he emphasizes meritocracy for other workers, he benefitted from nepotism himself as he got his job through a relative. This foreshadows later hypocrisy by Moses, who used cronyism and grift to build and maintain power­. Rather than eliminate Corruption in New York City Politics, Moses simply changed the system to benefit him rather than Tammany Hall.

Still, this rejection changed Moses’s disposition, turning him into a jaded cynic rather than a young idealist. While he still strove to change the world, he rejected the democratic approach and prioritized his own power and status. After witnessing the power of Al Smith up close, he resolved to become a similarly imposing figure. This move from idealism to cynicism reflects a broader shift in political and cultural mood during this era. The horrors of two world wars gave rise to nihilism, for example, as so many men who left for the frontlines never came back. Moses was not alone in the way he changed as many turned to cynicism, but the era was equally characterized by progressive activism such as first-wave feminism and labor movements. Ultimately, it was a polarized era, and Moses drifted further from idealism and progressivism.

As Moses became increasingly frustrated with his failure to implement his suggestions, he reacted childishly. He stopped showing up at his office and loudly criticized his employers. His attitude reflects the material conditions in which he was raised and the arrogance that would come to define his life and career. His behavior was enabled by his family; even as a married man with children, his mother financially supported him. Like the nepotism that got him the job in the first place, this shows how Moses benefitted from family support and could take greater risks as a result. This differentiated Moses from many of his peers, as he could indulge his arrogance without fear of repercussions.  

Moses’s first attempts to change the world ended in abject failure, but these episodes are instructive. Young Moses did not yet understand how power works, largely because of his arrogance. He expected everyone to see his plans and immediately adopt them, only to realize that this is not how things are achieved. Learning from this, Moses is ready to ascend and leave his youthful naivete behind. This first failure revealed to Moses that his self-proclaimed genius was not enough to change the world. In the following chapters, he no longer simply presents his ideas; he backs them with actual power, first Al Smith’s and then his own.