This book is considered a major contribution to the study of urban politics and policy. It examines the role of the state in the development of urban problems and the responses to these problems.
Stone has also published other works, including:
* "Urban Policy and the Political Economy of Change" (1974)
* "Regulating the Poor: The Functions of Public Welfare" (1984, co-authored with David Gil)
* "The Politics of Urban Development" (1989)
His work has been influential in shaping our understanding of how the state and its policies can both contribute to and mitigate urban challenges.