Review by Choice Review
Robinson (Smith College) grounds his story of the history of the town meeting governance of a western Massachusetts town in democratic theory. He ultimately argues that the case exemplifies success (particularly in promoting social capital) mixed with failure in achieving the ends of democracy. Robinson is conscious that he avoids comparison to the governance of other towns of a similar size, but that leaves this readable work an anecdotal account rather than a piece of scholarship that extends the understanding of this unique form of local governance. Because of its research design limitations, readers are left unclear if they have gained additional insights into the governance of all small towns, no matter their form of government, or into the efficacy of town meeting-style governance. Despite details about the history of the town that bog the work down, this is an admirable attempt to give insight into a distinctively American form of local governance that remains vibrant in the 21st century. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduate and professional collections. J. Barth Hendrix College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
