Disasters and Democracy: The Politics of Extreme Natural Events
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<p>In recent years, the number of presidential declarations of "major disasters" has skyrocketed. Such declarations make stricken areas eligible for federal emergency relief funds that greatly reduce their costs. But is federalizing the costs of disasters helping to lighten the overall burden of disasters or is it making matters worse? Does it remove incentives for individuals and local communities to take measures to protect themselves? Are people more likely to invest in property in hazardous locations in the belief that, if worse comes to worst, the federal government will bail them out?.<p>Disasters and Democracy addresses the political response to natural disasters, focusing specifically on the changing role of the federal government from distant observer to immediate responder and principal financier of disaster costs. Booknews Addresses the political response to natural disasters, focusing on the changing role of the federal government from distant observer to immediate responder and principle financier of disaster costs. Explores the evolution and implications of federal disaster policies, and offers regional case studies that examine the federal role and relief expenditures in three disaster recovery efforts: Fire Island, New York, after 1992-93 storms; St. Charles County, Missouri, after a 1993 flood; and Oakland, California, after a 1989 earthquake and a 1991 fire. Includes b&w photos of the aftermath of natural disasters. Platt is a professor of geography and planning law at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
AcknowledgmentsPrefaceIntroduction: Disasters Before 1950: Coping Without Congress1Pt. IFederalizing Disasters: From Compassion to Entitlement9Ch. 1Shouldering the Burden: Federal Assumption of Disaster Costs11Ch. 2U.S. Federal Disaster Declarations: A Geographical Analysis47Ch. 3Stemming the Losses: The Quest for Hazard Mitigation69Pt. IIProperty Rights and the Takings Issue109Ch. 4Property Rights Organizations: Backlash Against Regulation111Ch. 5The Takings Issue and the Regulation of Hazardous Areas131Pt. IIICase Studies165Ch. 6Fire Island: The Politics of Coastal Erosion167Ch. 7St. Charles County, Missouri: Federal Dollars and the 1993 Flood215Ch. 8The Bay Area: One Disaster After Another241Conclusion and Recommendations277Selected Bibliography for Further Reading301About the Contributors309Index311
