ABSTRACT
Power refers to the capacity of an individual or group to command or influence the behaviour of others. Power vested in people who are selected or appointed by a socially approved procedure (such as democratic election) is regarded as legitimate, and is often referred to as authority. Power may also be exercised through social pressure or persuasion or by use of economic or even physical force. A key factor in determining the outcome of power struggles - of 'who gets what, when, and how'1 - is the system of urban governance.
