Neighbourhood Preindustrial cities
Most ancient and historical cities also had administrative districts. These were used by the government for taxation and social control. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. Random House, New York, p. 117. Administrative districts are usually larger than neighbourhoods. They often cover areas that are larger than just one neighbourhood. Sometimes, administrative districts are just one neighbourhood. This leads to a lot of control of social life by officials. There were state officials who controlled life and activity at the neighbourhood level. A Study in the Urban History of Medieval China.