Banfield, Edward C. Political Influence: A New Theory of Urban Politics. New York: Free Press of Glencoe, 1961. Reprint, New York: Free Press, 1982. With a new introduction by James Q. Wilson, 2003.

In government, influence denotes one’s ability to get others to act, think, or feel as one intends. A mayor who persuades voters to approve a bond issue exercises influence. A businessman whose promises of support induce a mayor to take action exercises influence. In Political Influence, Edward C. Banfield examines the structures and dynamics of influence in determining who actually makes the decisions on vital issues in a large metropolitan area. Banfield locates his analysis in Chicago, focusing on a broad range of representative urban issues. An introductory chapter defines Banfield’s method through four leading questions: Who has influence and who is subject to it? How does influence work? What are the terms upon which influence is expended? How is action concerted by influence?

“Although the discussion is confined to Chicago, and Professor Banfield is careful to limit his generalizations to that scene, the analysis is nonetheless of general interest, and many of the conclusions have application to any large urban area and to some extent to the political process generally. It is a very good book.” — Preble Stolz

Online:
EdwardCBanfield.org (read free online) [pdf]
Thrift Books
Amazon (reprint)