AbstractCommunity control has been criticized as being quixotic, reductionistic, and incompatible with the demands of an industrial society. Alternatively, liberal reformers seek to ameliorate the ills of the mental health system through existing political channels, enlightened administrators, and an informed public. Although heralded as a more balanced and therefore more comprehensive critique, the liberal analysis employs an equilibrium model which ultimately favors the conventional power structure. Despite the potential vulnerability of community control, less radical approaches ultimately guard rather than seriously dispute professional hegemony.