Literature on local government is extensive in such countries as the United States, United Kingdom, and Sweden, fairly comprehensive in such countries as France and Germany, and almost if not quite non-existent in certain of the under-developed countries. With the limited space available, it has seemed desirable not to include any materials relating to the English-speaking countries, since these are generally well known to scholars. An attempt has been made to bring in representative local government systems from the major areas of the world, but neither the Soviet Union, the Peoples' Republic of China, nor any satellite country is included, mainly because of failure to find specialists who would undertake the task. Since this article is likely to be used primarily by those whose linguistic competence is limited to English or a European language, emphasis has been placed on materials in these languages, but as much attention as has seemed feasible has been given to sources in other languages.' It is not surprising that the great preponderance of research in local government has thus far related to specific countries. Nevertheless, there has been some recognition of the importance of comparative studies in local government, and interest in such projects seems to be growing slowly at present. The earlier studies of William B. Munro, The Government of European Cities (New York, Macmillan, 1909) and William Anderson, ed., Local Government in Europe (New York, Appleton-Century, 1939) may be cited as somewhat isolated examples of earlier comparative works in the local government field. The quite recent studies of William A. Robson, ed., Great Cities of the World (London, Allen and Unwin, 1955), International Union of Local Authorities, Local Government Finance and Its Importance for Local Autonomy (The Hague, 1955), and Village Government in Eastern and Southern Asia: A Symposium, Far Eastern Quarterly, February, 1956, represent significant projects in the presentday comparison of local government institutions and problems. A pilot study undertaken by the International Political Science Association, under the sponsorship of UNESCO, of rural local government in India, Italy, and Sweden,2 and a more comprehensive survey, now in progress, by the International Union of Local Authorities, also sponsored by UNESCO, of local