This work investigates whether democratic administration can be achieved through popular power rather than traditional bureaucratic state structures. The authors, prominent scholars in political economy and socialist theory, examine the historical and theoretical limitations of the modern state. They argue for a transformation of administrative practices that prioritizes direct public participation and decentralized control over centralized state authority.

Experts recognize this text as a significant contribution to radical political theory and the study of democratic governance. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is intended for students and scholars of political science and public policy.