Edward Christie Banfield (1916–99) was an American political scientist known for his conservative views on urban policy, governance, and social behavior. His works shaped public administration, urban studies, and political thought, influencing debates on poverty and city planning.
Born in Bloomfield, Connecticut, Banfield studied at the University of Connecticut before earning an M.A. and PhD in political science from the University of Chicago. He worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, observing government aid programs, which informed his skepticism toward welfare policies. He advised Republican presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan and then taught at Harvard until retirement.
Banfield’s notable publications include The Moral Basis of a Backward Society (1958,) examining poverty and social structures in Southern Italy; The Unheavenly City (1970,) critiquing urban policy and mobility; and The Democratic Muse (1984,) exploring government arts funding. Other works include Government Project (1951,) Urban Government (1961,) and Here the People Rule (1985,) discussing American democracy.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Edward C. Banfield
Every political system is an accumulation of habits, customs, prejudices, and principles that have survived a long process of trial and error and of ceaseless response to changing circumstances. If the system works well on the whole, it is a lucky accident—the luckiest, indeed, that can befall a society.
—Edward C. Banfield
Topics: Politics, Politicians
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