Abstract
In spite of the current neo-liberal paradigm, affecting urban environment
with increasing inequality and social exclusion, alternatives of
urban management are being carried out in the world. Democracy,
in its broader sense (involving effective participation of people
in decision making) is the ideological base for these new development
stategies.
An interesting example of the way a wider concept of democracy is
being applied to urban management, comes from the South.
In Brazil, many municipalities are pursuing innovative policies
of "democratization of the access to the cities".
In this respect, Diadema (Greater S.Paulo Region, more than 300.000
inhabitants), is emblematic, "typical" and "extreme"
at the same time.
The rapid industrial and economic growth of the region was accompanied
by an increase in urban poverty and inequality. (about 25% of population
living in slums with a very high density).
After the constitution of 1988, like other Brazilian cities, it
gained more autonomy, and undertook a wide programme of integrated
policies, all based on planning as a process of negotiation and
interaction among all actors. Although the existence of critical
situations and of many limitations (scarcity of resources, low purchase
power of people, fragility of natural ecosystem in the lake zone,
private property of many green areas..), the municipality proved
the willingness to contrast the disastrous impacts that free market
system implies in terms of environment degradation and social exclusion.
As an example, it adopted, in its Master Plan, the so-called AEIS,
special zones for housing of low income groups. The urban land,
once excluded from market speculation, became accessible to disadvantaged
groups, like favelados. This instrument in not peculiar of Diadema,
but here its implementation was greatest. The municipality, besides
creating the instrument, was strong enough to apply it, thus giving
the example to the associations and organizations of favelados.
The process was so effective that these movements "learned"
to negotiate the land with land owners autonoumosly; they were able
to keep on doing so even for areas external to AEIS and without
public intervention when the local governement changed.
The introduction of the innovative concept of the social function
of property, translated into urbanistic instrument, produced, beyond
physical and urban changes, the awareness of everyone's right to
partecipate to the "urban making" process.
European Union guidelines for a sustainable development underline
the importance of approaching institutions to citizens by strenghtening
local governements and participation; in this way, it could be worthy
to have a good look at Brazilian cases.
|
