Title: The redistributive role of mega-cities.

POPLINE Document Number: 128055

Author(s):

Davezies L
Prud'homme R

Source citation:

In: Mega-city growth and the future, edited by Roland J. Fuchs, Ellen Brennan, Joseph Chamie, Fu-chen Lo, and Juha I. Uitto. Tokyo, Japan, United Nations University Press, 1994. :149-71.

Abstract:

Large cities, and especially the largest cities, heavily subsidize the other parts of their respective countries through the national budget and many national public services. However, most economic or sectoral policies which were introducing a pro-urban bias, especially in the developing countries, are being abandoned or soon will be. Such policy changes will probably not result in a number of transfers from the urban sector to other parts of given countries which corresponds directly with the number of cities in the country. It is possible that some of the largest cities in some developing countries will become poorer and distribute less to the rest of the country. In developed countries, the evolution of the relative amount of transfer also depends upon economic growth. Decentralization, privatization, and deregulation trends could also have a negative impact upon transfers between the largest cities and the rest of their respective countries. It is more likely that more large cities will finance more transfers mainly in the intermediate-income countries experiencing real economic growth, and less likely in the poorest and richest countries.

Keywords:

Developed Countries
Developing Countries
Urban Population
Economic Policy
Resource Allocation
Funds
Changes
Population Characteristics
Demographic Factors
Population
Policy
Financial Activities
Economic Factors
Social Change