6.2 urbanisation

Question 1

Childe: 10 formal criteria that, according to his system, indicate the development of urban civilisation

Answer 1

urban revolution from 5500 yrs ago-present
- increased settlement size,
- concentration of wealth,
- large-scale public works,
- writing,
- representational art,
- knowledge of science and engineering,
- foreign trade,
- full-time specialists in non-subsistence activities,
- class-stratified society,
- and political organisation based on residence rather than kinship

Question 2

trends

Answer 2

-agricultural and industrial revolution
- by 1950 17% of world population was urban: urban explosion
- dependency theory (1960): urban development is a result of capitalist system
- America, Europe, Australasia are most urbanisation
- Asia and Africa fastest

Question 3

cycle of urbanisation

Answer 3

1. urbanisation: % of people living in urban areas increases
2. suburbanisation: movement of people away from centre to outer edges:
3. counter-urbanisation: movement of people from larger urban areas to smaller outside of the rural-urban fringe
4. urban resurgence: regeneration of an area that has suffered decline, often through redevelopment schemes/social movements: brownfield sites

Question 4

suburbanisation

Answer 4

• construction of suburban railway
• Stoneleigh 1920: few dozen houses, by 1930: 3000
• public housing for working class
• government support and willingness for local authorities to provide water, sewage, electricity systems
• road network and transport development
• low interest rates
• limited by creation of greenbelts

Question 5

resurgence

Answer 5

• central gov finance
• new urban design
• pedestrian areas, green spaces, residential accommodation
• reduction of urban street crime
• halo effect reduced crime in surrounding area
• improved perception of central areas
• as many new households: single person units
• gentrification: in inner London: vibrant and attractive destination for young: 1983, 2.5M, 2011, 3.23M

Question 6

competition for land

Answer 6

• best measured by price of land and rents
• land-use zoning
• functional zonation
• urban development: involves complete clearance of existing buildings and site infrastructure
• urban renewal: keeps best elements (often bc safeguarding) and adapts them to new usage
• cumulative causation

Question 7

counter-urbanisation stats

Answer 7

• since 1970s HICs have been significant counter-urbanisation
• 20-30 counter-urbanisation centres in outer metropolitan area, 20-80 km from London

Question 8

world city

Answer 8

has an influence on a global scale, economic centres, TNCs, centres of world finance, provide international consumer centres
- recognised worldwide, unchallenged as seats of prestige, status, power, influence
- key hubs in emerging global economy
- a city with many connections to the rest of the world
- many business HQ locations
- places of innovation
- network of learning with universities and company research bases, creative hubs
- wide range of jobs
- cultural centres for arts, sport and fashion
- iconic and varied architecture

Question 9

attributes of world cities

Answer 9

• demographic: large pop, well educated and enterprising people, ethnic diversity and tolerance
• technological: good access by air, state of the art communication links, centre of research and development
• cultural: centre of excellence in entertainment and art, rich heritage, prestigious university and research institutes
• economic: major hub of international banking, insurance, strong presence of TNCs, prestigious equity market
• political: national seat of democratic government, host to HQs of major governing bodies
• government ambitions at national and local levels