Cockburn, Cynthia (1977)The Local State: Management of Cities and People, London, Pluto PressThe Local State: Community Development's invisible elephant

Abstract

To a predominantly conservative literature on community development and local government, The Local State brought a radical and provocative interpretation of the intersection of these domains. With several contemporaneous texts, its analysis helped pioneer a distinct and lasting critical tradition in community development. However, the attention it drew to local government has been stubbornly resisted. This aversion in community development is peculiar and unfortunate and should be redressed. Three years after The Local State appeared I joined an advisory committee for a community building project on a new housing estate. The aim of the project was to model participatory processes for the settlement and integration of residents. The programme focussed on integrative self-help/mutual support type activity with families, particularly mothers (e.g. activity and play groups). Neither the workers concerned, nor the government sponsor, saw local political engagement of the new residents as integral to the task. They had slight interest in local political organization or action. The make-up and policy of municipal government were considered extraneous matters.