Why Don't Big Cities Like New York and Tokyo Extend to Neighboring Urban Areas?

New York City's Historical Expansion

New York City, much like its famous counterpart Tokyo, doesn't automatically extend its borders to surrounding urban areas. In the past, NYC did expand beyond its initial confines, merging with Kingdoms of Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island. However, at this point, the boundaries are well-defined, and any further expansion would require organized and lengthy legal processes.

For instance, NYC once encompassed just the island of Manhattan. Over time, it annexed areas including Brooklyn, which was an independent city, and the surrounding boroughs. Much of what we now call neighborhoods in NYC were once towns, villages, or hamlets before they became part of NYC.

Despite the historical precedent, modern NYC has become a well-established metropolis with clear borders. Any future expansion would need the approval of NYC, neighboring cities, and towns, and the passing of a bill through the New York State legislature, followed by the Governor's signature.

Historically, significant expansion would only be considered if there was substantial public demand for it. However, over two centuries since these expansions, there has been no significant demand for further expansion in NYC.

The Suburban Influence: NYC and Its Surrounding Areas

Unlike the rural expanse that NYC once covered, its nearby urban areas are also their own independent cities or towns. These are known as suburbs, each with its own governmental boundaries and distinct personalities.

Large cities like NYC are not free to simply annex their neighboring areas. In specific, unique circumstances, a large city might be able to annex a neighboring entity, but this is not frequent or easy, and residents of the area to be annexed often legally challenge such proposals for years.

The Metropolitan Area: A Defined Space

It's important to note that while NYC and its surroundings are part of broader metro areas, the specific borders of the "proper city" of New York are harder to change. The New York metro area includes fourteen counties in New Jersey and eleven of the largest cities in New Jersey, as well as six out of the seven largest cities in Connecticut.

When discussing mergers and expansions, this complex web of counties and cities creates numerous challenges. It's not so simple to merge the entire metro area into a single city, given the diverse interests and governmental structures at play.

New York City's Historic Merge

New York City's expansion two centuries ago offers a useful precedent. In 1898, it merged the City of New York (Manhattan) with Brooklyn, Queens, and parts of Richmond (now Staten Island) and the Bronx. However, this expansion came after voting by the people, led by the contentious consolidation of Brooklyn, which narrowly won in a referendum.

This move was viewed at the time as beneficial, as it allowed cities to share resources and build a larger tax base for infrastructure. Fast forward 200 years, and the rationale for such expansion has fundamentally shifted. Modern NYC and its surrounding suburbs are distinct in terms of governance, resources, and cultural identity.

The Current Economic and Social Landscape

Today, further expansion of NYC into surrounding areas would offer no significant benefits. New York City faces enough challenges trying to manage its current size without the added complexity and liability of expansion. Likewise, merging with surrounding suburbs would likely face significant opposition due to:

Economic Disparity: The suburban counties in the NYC metro area, such as Westchester, Rockland, Nassau, and Suffolk, have their own distinct economic systems. Merger would create economic difficulties, making it difficult to manage resources effectively. Governmental Structure: Each of these surrounding counties has its own governmental structure, which would complicate any attempt at merger. Local schools, governments, and civic activities are deeply rooted in their specific regions. Cultural and Personal Identity: Residents of the surrounding areas take pride in their own distinct cultural and social identities. The idea of subsuming their identity into a larger NYC entity would be met with significant resistance.

Cities like Tokyo also face similar challenges. They too are self-contained entities within a larger metropolitan area. The expansion of Tokyo would face similar legal, economic, and societal hurdles. Thus, both New York and Tokyo are likely to remain within their current boundaries, managing their populations and resources to best serve their residents.

In summary, the decisions to merge or not merge come down to a complex interplay of legal, economic, and social factors. The achievements of expansions in the past do not necessarily dictate future actions, as each urban area faces different challenges and opportunities today.