Abstract
Victorian reformers charged with creating a system of local government which was both effective and democratic were adamant that community identity should lie at the heart of the policy. Without voters who could identify and recognise the community of interest in the new administrative boundaries the idea of local democracy would be a sham. A representative local government would fail if people felt insufficiently motivated to vote, to contribute to the activities necessary for a sense of civic purpose and identity and to acknowledge the legitimacy of that local authority.
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Notes and references
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© 1996 CLD Ltd
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Rallings, C., Temple, M., Thrasher, M. (1996). Participation in Local Elections. In: Pratchett, L., Wilson, D. (eds) Local Democracy and Local Government. Government Beyond the Centre. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-25022-6_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-25022-6_4
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