Amitai Etzioni, a second-wave commu-nitarian, argued in The Spirit of Community for pro-family measures in order to encourage moth-ers and fathers to spend more time at home. However, the effect of these changes and public policies would likely make citizens into largely private, family-centered persons. Additionally, communitarians who advocate increased commitment to public affairs and strengthened ties to the workplace also face the problem of conflicting commitments. The fact of the matter is that few can afford the time and energy needed to devote themselves to both family life and public affairs. Unfortunately, favoring one ideal often leads to the erosion of the other. Still, there may be policies where promoting a particular form of communal life can improve, rather than under-mine, other forms of communities. For instance, it is possible to reform urban planning so that people can nurture strong local communities without undermining attachment to the national community. Such measures could include more affordable housing, public transport, pedestrian focused environments, and creating more safe public spaces as a necessary part of neighbor-hoods. This could result in strengthening broader forms of public-spiritedness and lead to indi-viduals becoming more invested in the political necessities of their community at large. We see this demonstrated in Chicago and the push for parks, especially in neighborhoods where there are high rates of crime. Having a space designated as a safe zone, especially for children, is often seen as necessary and provides a relief from the monotony of
Amitai Etzioni, a second-wave commu-nitarian, argued in The Spirit of Community for pro-family measures in order to encourage moth-ers and fathers to spend more time at home. However, the effect of these changes and public policies would likely make citizens into largely private, family-centered persons. Additionally, communitarians who advocate increased commitment to public affairs and strengthened ties to the workplace also face the problem of conflicting commitments. The fact of the matter is that few can afford the time and energy needed to devote themselves to both family life and public affairs. Unfortunately, favoring one ideal often leads to the erosion of the other. Still, there may be policies where promoting a particular form of communal life can improve, rather than under-mine, other forms of communities. For instance, it is possible to reform urban planning so that people can nurture strong local communities without undermining attachment to the national community. Such measures could include more affordable housing, public transport, pedestrian focused environments, and creating more safe public spaces as a necessary part of neighbor-hoods. This could result in strengthening broader forms of public-spiritedness and lead to indi-viduals becoming more invested in the political necessities of their community at large. We see this demonstrated in Chicago and the push for parks, especially in neighborhoods where there are high rates of crime. Having a space designated as a safe zone, especially for children, is often seen as necessary and provides a relief from the monotony of