Power, not participation

Power redistribution: Planning that requires intimate and intricate details of district knowledge should be put in the hands of people who have knowledge and intimate relationship with the neighbourhood and the people living in it.

“DON’T give me that participation nonsense. We want power.”

Those were the words from a disgruntled resident towards the housing management, during a town hall meeting in New York City. Having been in many of these sessions myself, both locally and abroad, I have often heard these sorts of expressions.