Power in the City: Decision Making in San Francisco

San Francisco's politics are complex, with power divided among traditional and new minorities, a mayor with modest authority, and a large city bureaucracy guided by insensitive professional norms. Frederick Wirt's study provides new insights on the politics of large American cities in the 1970s.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 430 pages
Publication date: 29 April 2022
Publisher: University of California Press

San Francisco is a city that holds a special place in the hearts of many, yet it faces unique political challenges. The power dynamics in the city are complex, with a divided population consisting of traditional and new minorities, a mayor with limited authority, and a vast city bureaucracy governed by insensitive professional norms. The politics of profit and ethnic conflict in San Francisco are intricate and deeply influenced by external factors such as regional, state, and federal government policies, as well as the impact of the national economy.

Frederick Wirt, in his captivating study, has delved into the political, business, labor, ethnic, and historical life of San Francisco through personal interviews with knowledgeable observers and participants, extensive review of special reports, and firsthand observation of transaction patterns. The result is a comprehensive 125-year political history of San Francisco that offers valuable insights into the politics of large American cities during the 1970s.

This title is part of UC Press' Voices Revived program, which celebrates the University of California Press' mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and provide them with a platform to express their ideas, reach a wider audience, and have a significant impact. Voices Revived leverages print-on-demand technology to make high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible to readers once again, drawing from a backlist dating back to 1893.

Published in 1974, this title is a valuable addition to the scholarship on San Francisco and urban politics, shedding light on the complex dynamics and challenges faced by cities during a transformative period in American history.

Weight: 635g
Dimension: 234 x 156 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520307155