Who Governs?

"A book that no one interested in politics can afford to ignore."—Lewis A. Coser, Commentary



"Anyone seriously concerned with current systematic political theory or with urban politics should read Who Governs?"—Hugh Douglas Price, Political Science Quarterly



"Dahl has illuminated a central question in political science, the problem of how men can govern themselves in complex societies. . . . Who Governs? will become a classic."—from the citation of the Woodrow Wilson Foundation Award


"A major breakthrough in American political science, and a work destined, deservedly, to influence profoundly all future investigation of our politics . . . masterful, imaginative, and courageous. I recommend it unreservedly to the attention of all students of American politics."—Willmoore Kendall, National Review

Winner of the Woodrow Wilson Foundation Award for 1962 and widely acclaimed as a major reinterpretation of the location of political power in American communities

Winner of the Woodrow Wilson Foundation Award for 1962 and widely acclaimed as a major reinterpretation of the location of political power in American communities. "Dahl has illuminated a central question in political science, the problem of how men can govern themselves in complex societies. . . . Who Governs? will become a classic."—from the citation of the Woodrow Wilson Foundation Award


"Dahl is never dogmatic, and never imagines that the world stands still to accommodate either the democratic ideal or his own pluralistic theory of city politics. . . . Who Governs? is Dahl’s liveliest and most remarkable book."—Douglas W. Rae, from the Foreword



"A major breakthrough in American political science, and a work destined, deservedly, to influence profoundly all future investigation of our politics… masterful, imaginative, and courageous.  I recommend it unreservedly to the attention of all students of American politics."—Willmoore Kendall


"Magnificently conceived and beautifully executed . . . presenting a rich body of data succinctly and persuasively . . . 'They' are going to have to rewrite the texts on municipal government."—Wallace Sayre

"Magnificently conceived and beautifully executed . . . presenting a rich body of data succinctly and persuasively . . . 'They' are going to have to rewrite the texts on municipal government."—Wallace Sayre