City Journal Autumn 2011


A quarterly magazine of urban affairs, published by the Manhattan Institute, edited by Brian C. Anderson. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •	Luigi Zingales Who Killed Horatio Alger? The decline of the meritocratic ideal PODCAST: Luigi Zingales discusses this story Myron Magnet On Tyranny and Liberty Would the Founders approve of the nation we’ve made? Edward L. Glaeser Unleash the Entrepreneurs Bad policies are holding back the ultimate job creators. Guy Sorman Patently American How the U.S. can sharpen its innovative edge PODCAST: Guy Sorman discusses this story Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Paul Howard Liberating Medicine’s New Frontier Faster approval for drugs and medical devices would boost the health of Americans—and the American economy. PODCAST: Paul Howard Interviews Representative Paul Ryan Nicole Gelinas Is There a Retirement Crisis? Yes, but it’s one that we can manage if we act now. PODCAST: Nicole Gelinas discusses this story Steven Malanga Cali to Business: Get Out! Firms are fleeing the state’s senseless regulations and confiscatory taxes. Wendell Cox The Long Stall California’s jobs engine broke down well before the financial crisis. Kay S. Hymowitz How Brooklyn Got Its Groove Back New York’s biggest borough has reinvented itself as a postindustrial hot spot. Peter D. Salins Capital Gains Realizing America’s human potential Joel Kotkin Wanted: Blue-Collar Workers Who will power America’s new industrial revolution? Sol Stern The Excellence Gap Our public schools are shortchanging their best students. Josh Barro A Tax Code for Tomorrow We need to encourage investment, not penalize it. Mario Polèse Urban-Development Legends Grand theories do little to revive cities. Iain Murray, David Schoenbrod The Regulatory Thicket It’s time to cut it back. Michael Anton The Age of Ships A time before passenger jets, when ocean liners were “the greatest of the works of man” Stefan Kanfer Going Pogo The life and times of Walt Kelly’s political possum Steven Malanga Hands Off My Dues! Even rank-and-file members are getting fed up with their unions’ political spending. Ethan Epstein Streetless in Seattle The mayor imposes a diet on cars. Daniel Finkelstein Language and the Big Society David Cameron’s imperfectly articulated vision for Britain Nicole Gelinas Remembering New York’s 9/11 memorial opens at last. André Glucksmann Hatred Still The force that brought down the Twin Towers hasn’t been defeated. Fred Siegel Who Lost the Middle Class? A question for historians in the not-too-distant future Clark Whelton Lost in Krappetown The lonely battle for American-made appliances that work Marcus A. Winters The Year of the Voucher School choice expanded dramatically in 2011. Brian C. Anderson In Prospect PODCAST: Brian C. Anderson reads this story Oh, to be in England Theodore Dalrymple Barbarians on the Thames A postmortem of the British riots Letters Contributors Diarist Heather Mac Donald Classical Economics	Search Site Advanced Search