ABSTRACT
This paper reviews theoretical and empirical findings from anthropological and sociological studies that explain the emergence of gating and of private governance. Case studies drawn from an ethnographic study of residents living in seven urban and suburban gated communities illustrate three of the theoretical arguments: social order and moral minimalism in New York City, economic efficiency and tax advantages in Texas, and lack of security provided by the state in Mexico City. The case of a gated community from Mexico City provides an important comparison to the US examples since this residential development has created its own system of private governance even though it is illegal to gate public streets and the residents’ association is not acknowledged by the state.
