Disasters and Democracy: The Politics of Extreme Natural Events

by Rutherford H. Platt

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?."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.

344 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1999

About the author

RUTHERFORD H. PLATT is Professor Emeritus of Geography at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and also is Senior Fellow at the Institute for Sustainable Cities, City University of New York (CUNY) He holds a B.A. in political science from Yale and both a J.D. (law) and Ph.D. (geography) from the University of Chicago. He specializes in public policy concerning urban land and water resources.

Reviews

[Ron Cruz · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is another ultimate disaster theory book that should be required reading, but truly needs a more up to date version.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read for emergency managers