ABSTRACT
This chapter review the arguments raised by those who are critical or skeptical of public planning. The argument from the political left was that planning had become acceptable because it had sold out, thereby becoming a highly useful instrument for those who had previously feared it. Planning rested firmly in the hands of governmental and business elites that used it to impose their own values, manipulate the public, and control resources. Opposition to public planning has come from many sources and has reflected a variety of political stances, values, and personal experiences. Critical reviews and analyses of specific planning practices or programs have been published in abundance throughout the profession's history, of course, and have often been highly effective vehicles for improving practice. American experience with planning since the Great Depression has probably eased concerns about its potential perils.
