It is a curious paradox that one of the most important sectors of political life, at least in American society, has been almost entirely neglected by researchers until a very recent time. Just seven years ago a politicologist published an article entitled ‘The Lost World of Municipal Government’ in the American Political Science Review. A false and tense division of labour had so far wanted to see the municipal government, even as wide as that of New York, as an administrative entity, with real politics at a higher level. Thus, for many years, researchers have been satisfied to study the administrative aspect, with a clear focus on reform aimed above all at introducing a certain ethical approach into political behaviour where until then the boss symbolised a whole system. At best, all these works result in the life of a large city being seen in the same way as that of a company and applying the same criteria of economy and efficiency to it. It is in this sense that this important part of political research can be described as underdeveloped. Basic features of urban life, such as the definition of democracy at this level, the formation of a community and the activity of interest groups, in short, which is the core of the political phenomenon: power and influence relations have hardly been discussed. However, political science progressed and deplored its centre of interest from the mere study of political institutions to examine the behaviour and structure of authority at all levels: in a political party, in a ministerial committee, in a powerful interest group. At the same time, the rapid growth of urban environments made it impossible to ignore the complexity of the problem. The need, once again, would trigger important work: the problem of the suburbs, the weakness of voting in large cities, the unification of municipal structures in a metropolitan area, to name just these three issues, were at the origin of research that now represents major steps in the advancement of political science and even, in the broadest sense, towards the development of a general political theory. There has therefore been a real explosion in this area in recent years. Floyd Hunter paved the way in 1953, but it has been for five years, above all, that work has grown to such an extent that this sector has now undoubtedly become one of the main fields of political science. Important research projects are being implemented everywhere in the US: in Chicago, New York, Saint-Louis, New-Haven, and every quarter brings its chest on political life, this time in the broadest sense, big villes.How does the Montreal political study look like this development? The first impression, and unfortunately it is too fair, indicates that the delay is considerable here. The important bibliography published in 1961 on ‘Materials for a French Canadian political sociology’ refers only to a strictly academic study on Montreal politics. However, in some sectors, various work has been undertaken and completed. It is therefore necessary to take stock of the research carried out so far in order to shed light on everything that has been left out. After identifying the tasks to be undertaken, we will be asked to propose, on the basis of the important US contribution, the elements of a general plan of research on political life in Europe.