Power and geographic scale: comments on Morrill

Morrill generalizes that decisions are usually made at the highest level of national geographic scale, because this is the level at which the most pow erful social groupings operate most effectively. In actuality, however, con tradictory social forces cause this to be only a partially correct generali zation. Historically in the United States the power of the center has ebbed and flowed. In particular, Morrill's example of Hanford seems to contradic t his argument, as Hanford's present situation reflects a move away from th e absolute power that the federal government formerly possessed at this sit e. Finally Hanford indicates why people feel most excluded from decision-ma kings in areas where substantial benefits flow from the federal presence. ( C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.