This book aims at describing the quintessential ideas of Maxwell Jones with regard to 'democratic' therapeutic communities from a historical point of view. The interest in this topic can be explained from an already long-standing research tradition at the Department of Orthopedagogics (Ghent University, Belgium) on milieu therapy.The book can be considered complementary to another volume published by Garant: 'De Nieuwe Therapeutische Gemeenschap' [The New Therapeutic Community] (Broekaert et al.,1996), in which the concept-based therapeutic community for substance abusers is thoroughly elaborated.This book is intended for students and professionals, from a broad variety of contexts and disciplines, who are interested in (social) psychiatry, (democratic) therapeutic communities and milieu therapy.