ABSTRACT
Rise of the towns in mediaeval times—Decay of the towns in the era of Absolutism—Stein’s municipal reforms in Prussia—The revisions of Stein’s Municipal Ordinance—Municipal Constitutions of the other States. As absolutism gained ground, the State more and more invaded the sphere of purely local administration. Absolutism conquered all along the line; and even the Governments of the City Republics reflected the prevailing spirit. Stein wished to readjust the unnatural relationship, to rehabilitate the civil authority in local self-government, to assign to it a wide province of action, and within that province to make it virtually supreme. While Stein was contemplating his great reform an event occurred which might have changed the whole course of Prussia’s internal history. In truth, Stein wished to create an effective system of self-government as much for the sake of the State as in the interest of the people, who were henceforth to manage their own affairs.
