"But in practice master plans fail - because they create totalitarian order, not organic order. They are too rigid; they cannot easily adapt to the natural and unpredictable changes that inevitably arise in the life of a community"

This quote by Christopher Alexander speaks to the concept that master plans, or plans that are created to manage the advancement of a community, are often not successful. Alexander suggests that this is since they produce a totalitarian order, rather than a natural order. This suggests that the plans are too stiff and inflexible to be able to get used to the natural and unpredictable changes that take place in a community. Alexander's quote implies that master plans are not able to account for the complexities of a neighborhood, and that they are not able to keep up with the ever-changing needs of the people living in it. He suggests that a more organic approach to planning is required in order to create a successful and sustainable community.