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This article examines the impact of general revenue sharing on three structural features of American federalism: (1) governmental entities (number and employ ment) ; (2) institutions and actors' roles; and (3) behavioral perspectives. Revenue sharing will probably inhibit the further proliferation of special districts, sustain some town ships that might atrophy, increase public employment levels, and foster or accentuate the secular shift of state govern ment toward a service-oriented component of the federal system. General revenue sharing is both a cause and an effect of pluralistic power patterns. It is an important resource for political-administrative generalists in counteracting the influence of functional or program specialists. The generalist coalition, however, exhibits fragile features when compared with the strengths of policy making subsystems in Washing ton. Existing competitive, taut, and tension-laden inter governmental relationships are in part the product of partic ipants' perceptions. General revenue sharing appears to have relaxed tense relations by altering behavioral perspectives.

The distinctive features of American intergov ernmental relations (IGR) are specified, and the last half-century of policy trends in the United States are viewed through the conceptual lens provided by the IGR perspective. Several distinctive features of IGR set it apart from the more commonplace term, federalism. These features include a multiplicity of units, the primacy of public officials' attitudes and actions, informal working patterns, the prominence of administrators, and a policy emphasis. Five phases of IGR form a matrix for classifying recent United States political developments. The phases are: (1) conflict, (2) cooperative, (3) concentrated, (4) creative, and (5) competitive. The chal lenges presented by the complexity and interdependencies of IGR point toward a management emphasis. Intergovern mental accomplishments appear to hinge on the successful management of complexity.

The distinctive features of American intergovernmental relations (IGR) are specified, & the last half-century of policy trends in the US are viewed through the conceptual lens provided by the IGR perspective. Several distinctive features of IGR set it apart from the more commonplace term, federalism. These features include a multiplicity of units, the primacy of public officials' attitudes & actions, informal working patterns, the prominence of administrators, & a policy emphasis. 5 phases of IGR form a matrix for classifying recent US political developments. The phases are: (1) conflict, (2) cooperative, (3) concentrated, (4) creative, & (5) competitive. The challenges presented by the complexity & the interdependencies of IGR point toward a management emphasis. Intergovernmental accomplishments appear to hinge on the successful management of complexity. 5 Tables. HA.