The most important factors behind the city's decline - including sprawl, residential segregation, and extremely high inequality, just to name a few - are the result of policies favored by mainstream Republicans and Democrats across the country.
And the elephant in the room. The decline of the US auto industry which itself had many causes that were quite external to the city.
Even an enlightened and far-sighted despot subject to no political constraints could not have saved the city.
This. EVERY city is corrupt. A lot of things like cities and even companies survive in spite of themselves. Not because some glorious genius is at the wheel. Look at Texas. Remeber how certain blue avatars told us about the "Texas Miracle"? What happened when we scrutinized the "miracle" worker?
