Governing Greater Stockholm

Governing Greater Stockholm: A Study of Policy Development and System Change explores the transformative process through which Stockholm addressed metropolitan challenges such as housing, transportation, and urban development between 1946 and 1970. Led by socialist leader Hjalmar Mehr, Stockholm's policymakers recognized the inherently metropolitan nature of these issues and sought innovative governance solutions to avoid the "mistakes" observed in American cities, where fragmented local governance often hindered effective regional problem-solving. The culmination of these efforts was the creation of the Greater Stockholm County Council, a regional government structure designed to integrate policymaking across city and suburban boundaries. Through a longitudinal analysis, Professor Anton meticulously examines the interplay between policy development and institutional change, illustrating how Stockholm's leaders utilized regional planning, voluntary cooperation, and incremental institutional reforms to foster a shared understanding of regional challenges and pave the way for metropolitan governance.

Anton’s work not only serves as a historical case study of Stockholm’s metropolitan governance but also provides a broader framework for understanding urban governance processes in other contexts, including the United States. By analyzing the gradual evolution of institutions and policies in Stockholm, Anton highlights the importance of aligning governance structures with the complex realities of metropolitan regions. His analysis draws parallels with developments in U.S. metropolitan areas like San Francisco and Portland, emphasizing the potential of voluntary regional councils and national interventions to catalyze change. Ultimately, Anton portrays governance reform as a deliberate and dynamic process, shaped by political will, strategic compromise, and cultural attitudes toward problem-solving. The Stockholm experience offers valuable lessons on fostering sustainable and effective metropolitan governance, demonstrating that cities can successfully balance functionality, beauty, and livability through visionary leadership and cooperative policymaking.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1975.