Formation of American Local Governments

• 1: Private Values, Public InstitutionsSpecial Districts and CitiesThe Significance of Creating GovernmentsThe Consequences of Institutional ChoicesThe Logic of Local Government FormationConclusionAppendixSpecial DistrictsMunicipalities2: Particulars of PoliticsThe Character of EvidenceSpecial DistrictsMunicipalitiesConclusion3: Making Sense of the HistoryEarly U. S. FormationsThe Nineteenth CenturyThe Emergence of ServicesRedefining CitiesEarly Twentieth Century DistrictsMore Established EntrepreneursCities and Racial DivisionConclusion4: Elements of Collective ActionComplicating the ArgumentMeasurementThe Sample and the ModelConclusionAppendix: Measurement and the Model5: Creating Local PoliticsServices and TaxesRaceMunicipalitiesThe Legal Structures of SupplySmall Groups, Entrepreneurs, and the Enabling of Collective Action6: The Meaning of LimitsEmpirical ResultsImplicationsAppendix A: Coefficient Estimates and Robust Standard ErrorsAppendix B: The SampleBibliography

"I wish I had known about this text before using my current one. It's excellent. Kudos to Nancy Burns--well done."--Donald Crumbley, Sr, Columbia College"[A] useful contribution to the urban politics literature...The presentation of the historical materials is novel and there is an interesting discussion of the effects of the 1965 Voting Rights Act on municipal incorporations. The book would be a useful text for an introductory course on local governmant..."--Journal of Regional Science"An outstanding piece of research!"--Eric Hozik, University of Nevada"Prof. Burns has obviously done her research--the bibliography is most impressive."--David Robinson, University of Houston"I've already used the book in manuscript form for the last two years in my graduate seminar on urban politics. It draws on a broad range of empirical evidence to make a significant theoretical contribution to our understanding of local government formation."--Gerald Gamm, University of Rochester"A very important study. Provides original insight about a major aspect of American urban politics that has been largely neglected by modern scholarship. The findings are interesting, the methodologies are appropriate and the theoretical implications are most stimulating. Will draw widespread attention from professionals, scholars, and students of local politics."--Paul Kantor, Fordham University"Burns's comprehensive review of the literature, creative use of case studies, and quantitative analysis combine to make a significant contribution to the field. Her work is important to the study of local government, political economy, and urban politics....Throughout, her scholarship is impressive. She has read widely and carefully, covering an awesome range of historical studies, case materials, and most of the relevant general and theoretical literature.Her use of these materials is often imaginative, particularly in the weaving together of the findings of a substantial number of case studies."--Michael N. Danielson, Woodrow Wilson School of Public andInternational Affairs, Princeton UniversityListed in Abstracts of Public Administration, Development and Environment