In this scholarly critique, Murray Bookchin sets out his ideas about the nature of community. Bookchin presents resounding arguments suggesting that the tension between rural and urban societies can be a vital source of human creativity, potentially enabling the power of the individual and restoring the positive values and quality of urban life. Tracing the history of the city from pre-history through the Ancient Greek "polis" to the medieval city state, Bookchin reclaims the idea of the city as a major creative force in our civilization. Advocating a new approach to politics, this work offers a case for a new municipal agenda revitalizing citizenship and city life.