Suchergebnisse

The potential dangers of planned utopian communities are discussed in an examination of the 40-year history of Lakewood, CA, a planned community south of the city that evolved from a model of community cohesiveness to an exemplar of current social problems. Based on a form of contract-based municipal government, Lakewood comprised a series of near identical homes, & residents were promised a utopian vision of family & work life. It is argued that this idealized mythology of perfection was the cause of both the early success & later decline of the community. Although planning, ideology, & institutions of the community were adequate & beneficial in the 1950s, overreliance on these structures, beliefs, & values inspired a resistance to change that undermined development & growth in later decades. Further, residents' unquestioned belief in Lakewood prevented recognition of internal problems & caused conflict with surrounding communities, which were used as scapegoats. Under these circumstances, the distance between the Lakewood vision & reality increased, & the town was exposed to economic recession, unemployment, & eroding spirit without the means or desire to adapt. Data obtained during 1994 interviews with Lakewood residents & officials support these arguments. 4 References. T. Sevier