Since the beginning of American history, the conflict has always surfaced over the idea of “eminent domain”. But, before we get into that, First and foremost, what is eminent domain? Eminent domain is the power governments have to acquire property from private owners for public use. This notion has been used around the world for centuries and indicates that the government has more authority over federal land than private property owners. When used in a constructive way, eminent domain can be beneficial; however, many cases have been unsuccessful, corporate-focused, and victimization of minorities. Since the rules governing eminent domain are unclear, this right should be abolished unless the rules are changed to benefit the general public.
Furthermore, when the government takes private land, it compensates citizens for it, guaranteeing their well-being. For example, in Greenville's Freetown area, bad half-ruined houses were demolished, and the owners were credited with sums ranging from $10,000 to $20,000, which helped homeowners make down payments on government-built new housing (Source D).
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Eminent domain has been known for repeatedly being used on the offering of “false promises”. Timothy P. Carney further explains how in certain cases, eminent domain lacks “central planning” which can lead to the failure to “deliver the rebirth, community beliefs, and jobs” which was promised by the government. When used improperly, eminent domain will result in the eviction of thousands of families at the cost of economic rebirth, leaving nothing but 'weeds and rubble' in their wake. The power of eminent domain can be easily misused when the government benefits at the expense of the poor and needy. Often, in some cases, promises are left unfulfilled so in the long run, more people are harmed than helped. Why should we put our faith in a scheme that exploits minorities?
Some people may argue that eminent domain can be very good and beneficial for the community, but they fail to address the real hazards of eminent domain. The notion of “ eminent domain ” was created with the objective that it would benefit the general public rather than the private profit. While eminent domain was originally intended to serve the needs of the public, it has now predictably become a way for the powerful to oppress the penniless. The government frequently targets poor areas with the promise of “urban renewal” and new job opportunities for locals, however, these processes can be harmful to the inhabitants of those areas by pushing them out of their homes increasing the cost of living, and many of these “ job opportunities ” aren’t really being generated. “ The use of eminent domain mainly targets victimizes the poor, racial minorities, and the politically weak. Most of the people displaced were left even worse off than they were before. The condemned property was often transferred to politically influential developers and business interests. While such condemnations are less common in recent years, blight takings still disproportionately occur in poor and minority neighborhoods, and still inflict great harm on their victims and on their victims and on the surrounding communities. In the notorious 1981 Poletown case, it forcibly displaced some 4,000 people and numerous businesses in order to transfer the property to General Motors for the construction of a new factory. That taking failed to provide anything close to the promised 6,000 new jobs. The destruction of numerous homes, businesses, and schools, and churches predictably damaged the local economy. Ultimately, eminent domain abuse was a significant contributor to the city’s economic decline. Aggressive use of eminent domain also damages the social fabric of poor communities because the displacement of residents, businesses, and churches undermines social ties.”
In general, the use of eminent domain has resulted in more harm than good, especially in recent decades when corporations have had a significant influence on politics. As we all know, eminent domain is a civil rights infringement that destroys poor and minority communities in the name of corporate profit. Any arrangement that allows the strong to dominate the weak is doomed to fail. Theft and prejudice on a large scale, sanctioned by the government, cannot be accepted in a free and equitable society.
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