Work

Are Cities Creatures of the State? Home Rule, State Preemption, and the Contest over Local Governance

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: In the nineteenth century, cities were described as “creatures of the state,” until a fervent home rule movement arose among urban reformers. This History Note traces the evolving politics of preemption, or the power of higher governments to override local decisions, in the U.S. Since then, preemption has served both progressive and conservative ends, playing out in the realm of civil rights, corporate influence, and, most recently, renewable energy and labor protections. Revisiting early home rule debates contextualizes a recent wave of state preemption challenges in the longer contest between state and local power.

Source: Journal of Planning History

DOI: 10.1177/15385132261434963

Author: Lina Moe

Institution: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Language: English

Topic: American Constitutional Law and Politics

Subfield: Political Science and International Relations

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,650