For Introduction to State and Local Politics courses. This is the most authoritative text for state and local politics. Always one step ahead of the competition, State and Local Politics: Government by the People continually sets the standards for other state and local politics texts by anticipating instructors' needs. Known for its impeccable author team, that treats each new edition as a fresh challenge, State and Local Politics: Government by the People is the perfect text for the educator who wants students to understand how America's state and local political systems work.