Reminds me of this book about centralized power and the impact one man had on New York:

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Broker-Robert-Moses-Fall/dp/0394720245/ref=asc_df_0394720245?nodl=1&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312176338241&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10279030281217121055&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031226&hvtargid=pla-433447559669&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=60258870897&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312176338241&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10279030281217121055&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031226&hvtargid=pla-433447559669&dplnkId=da0a8453-1896-413d-87fb-540d2d8c52b4