Definition
Wallace Stanley Sayre (1905 – 1972) was an American political scientist and professor noted for his contributions to comparative politics, municipal government studies, and for formulating “Sayre’s Law,” an adage concerning the intensity of disputes relative to their stakes.
Overview
Born on February 5, 1905, in New York City, Sayre earned his undergraduate degree at Columbia College and completed his Ph.D. in political science at Columbia University in 1932. He joined the Columbia faculty, where he taught and conducted research for the remainder of his career, eventually becoming the chair of the Department of Political Science. Sayre’s scholarly work focused on the structure and function of local government, the comparative analysis of political institutions, and the methodological foundations of political science. Among his notable publications are The New State (1937), The American City (1945), and The Theory and Practice of Politics (1961).
Sayre is also credited with “Sayre’s Law,” which states: “In any dispute, the intensity of feeling is inversely proportional to the value of the stakes involved.” The aphorism has been widely cited in discussions of bureaucratic conflict and organizational behavior.
He served as president of the American Political Science Association (APSA) in 1963–1964 and was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Wallace S. Sayor died on March 7, 1972, in New York City.
Etymology/Origin
The surname “Sayre” is of English origin, derived from the Old French sair meaning “a carpenter” or “a woodworker,” which entered English after the Norman Conquest. “Wallace” is a Scottish name meaning “foreigner” or “Welshman.” The middle initial “S.” stands for “Stanley,” a common given name of Anglo‑Saxon origin meaning “stone clearing.”
Characteristics
- Academic Discipline: Political Science, with emphasis on comparative politics and municipal governance.
- Institutional Affiliation: Columbia University (faculty, Department Chair).
- Key Contributions: Development of comparative methodological approaches; analysis of urban political structures; articulation of Sayre’s Law.
- Professional Leadership: President of the APSA; member of several editorial boards for leading political science journals.
- Publications: Authored and edited multiple monographs and articles that remain cited in the fields of local government and political theory.
Related Topics
- Sayre’s Law
- Comparative Politics
- Municipal Government Studies
- Columbia University Department of Political Science
- American Political Science Association
- Political Science Methodology