Abstract
Suburban politics, while being subjected to more and more empirical research, often is studied in a theoretical void. This article attempts to provide a general theoretical structure for the study of suburban politics which focuses on three inherent developmental factors: the developmental stage of the surrounding metropolitan area; the circumstances of origin of the suburb; and the developmental phase of the particular suburb. Also related are a number of descriptive factors pertaining to the character of the suburban community. These independent variables are used to predict three ele ments of suburban politics: political style, kinds of issues, and kinds of relations with neighboring communities.
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