Is Growth of Large Cities Linked to Economic and Institutional Weaknesses?

Titolo Rivista SCIENZE REGIONALI
Autori/Curatori Johann Spitzer, Giuseppe Folloni
Anno di pubblicazione 2013 Fascicolo 2013/3
Lingua Inglese Numero pagine 30 P. 23-52 Dimensione file 590 KB
DOI 10.3280/SCRE2013-003002
Il DOI è il codice a barre della proprietà intellettuale: per saperne di più clicca qui

Qui sotto puoi vedere in anteprima la prima pagina di questo articolo.

Se questo articolo ti interessa, lo puoi acquistare (e scaricare in formato pdf) seguendo le facili indicazioni per acquistare il download credit. Acquista Download Credits per scaricare questo Articolo in formato PDF

Anteprima articolo

FrancoAngeli è membro della Publishers International Linking Association, Inc (PILA)associazione indipendente e non profit per facilitare (attraverso i servizi tecnologici implementati da CrossRef.org) l’accesso degli studiosi ai contenuti digitali nelle pubblicazioni professionali e scientifiche

We progress from the initial idea of there being urbanization processes of different quality, and analyze the growth of world cities over the period 1960-2000, attempting to find the factors behind the growth of "big" cities (Mega, Big and Midsize cities, in the UN classification). We use a new dataset with demographic, economic, institutional and geographic variables regarding almost 2,000 cities in 135 countries. The methodological approach is based on OLS cross-country analyses, and controls for collinearity. Results indicate that growth in very large agglomerations is linked to indicators of economic and institutional backwardness. Problems of reverse causality, that is, the effects of big urban agglomerations on long term economic growth, is not within the scope of our research. This question needs further research. .

Partendo dall’idea che esistono processi di urbanizzazione aventi differenti caratteristiche, si analizza la crescita delle città nei diversi paesi per il periodo 1960-2000, per individuare quali fattori sono alla base della crescita delle "grandi" città. Si utilizza un dataset costruito con variabili demografiche, economiche, istituzionali e geografiche, riguardante circa 2.000 città in 135 paesi. L’analisi si basa su modelli OLS e controlla per la presenza di collinearità fra le variabili. I risultati indicano che la rapida crescita nelle grandi agglomerazioni è legata a indicatori di arretratezza economica e istituzionale. Problemi di causalità inversa, fra urbanizzazione e ulteriore crescita, non sono considerati. La loro analisi è rimandata ad ulteriore ricerca.

Keywords:Agglomerazioni urbane, crescita economica, qualità delle istituzioni. Classificazione

Jel codes:018, N90, R11, R12.

  1. Acemoglu D., Johnson S., Robinson J. A. (2001), The Colonial Origins of Comparative Development: An Empirical Investigation. American Economic Review, 91, 5: 1369-1401. DOI: 10.1257/aer.91.5.1369
  2. Acemoglu D., Johnson S., Robinson J. A. (2004), Institutions as the Fundamental Cause of Long-Run Growth. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, NBER Working Paper n. 10481.
  3. Ades A., Glaeser E. (1995), Trade and Circuses: Explaining Urban Giants. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 110, 1: 195-227. DOI: 10.2307/2118515
  4. Antikainen J. (2005), The Concept of Functional Urban Areas: Findings of the ESPON Project 1.1.1. Informationen zum Raumentwicklung, 7: 447-456.
  5. Bertaud A., Brueckner J. K. (2005), Analyzing Building-height Restrictions: Predicted Impacts and Welfare Costs. Regional Science and Urban Economics, 35, 2: 109-125. DOI: 10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2004.02.004
  6. Camagni R. (1996), Lo sviluppo urbano sostenibile. Le ragioni e i fondamenti di un programma di ricerca. In: Camagni R. (ed.), Economia e pianificazione della città sostenibile. Bologna: il Mulino. 13-51.
  7. Camagni R., Capello R. (2000), Beyond Optimal City Size: An Evaluation of Alternative Urban Growth Patters. Urban Studies, 37, 9: 1479-1496. DOI: 10.1080/00420980020080221
  8. Capello R. (2011), Urban Growth: Is It a Never Ending Story?. SYMPHONYA Emerging Issues in Management, 1: 19-28. www.unimib.it/symphonya.
  9. Cheshire P. C., Sheppard S. (2004), Land Markets and Land Market Regulation: Progress Towards Understanding. London: LSE Research Online.
  10. Cheshire P. C., Hay D. G. (1989), Urban Problems in Western Europe: An Economic Analysis. London: Unwin Hyman.
  11. Combes P. Ph., Duranton G., Gobillon L., Puga D., Roux S. (2012), The Productivity Advantages of Large Cities: Distinguishing Agglomeration From Firm Selection. Econometrica, 80, 6: 2543-2594. DOI: 10.3982/ECTA8442
  12. da Mata D., Eichmann U., Henderson J. V., Lall S. V., Wang H. G. (2007), Determinants of City Growth in Brazil. Journal of Urban Economics, 62, 2: 252-272. DOI: 10.1016/j.jue.2006.08.010
  13. Gaviria A., Stein E. (2000), The Evolution of Urban Concentration Around the World: a Panel Approach. Washington: Inter-American Development Bank Research Department.
  14. Gibrat R. (1931), Les inégalités économiques. Paris: Librairie du Recueil Sirey.
  15. Glaeser E., Maré D. C. (2001), Cities and Skills. Journal of Labour Economics, 19, 2: 316-342. DOI: 10.1086/319563
  16. Glaeser E., Shapiro J. (2002), Cities and Warfare: The Impact of Terrorism on Urban Form. Journal of Urban Economics,51, 2: 205-224. DOI: 10.1006/juec.2001.2262
  17. Harris J., Todaro M. (1970), Migration, Unemployment and Development: A Two-Sector Analysis. American Economic Review, 60, 1: 126-142.
  18. Henderson J. V. (2000), The Effects of Urban Concentration on Economic Growth. New York: NBER, Working paper n. 7503.
  19. Henderson J. V. (2010), Cities and Development. Journal of Regional Science, 50, 1: 515-540. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9787.2009.00636.x
  20. Henderson J. V, Wang H. (2007), Urbanization and City Growth: The Role of Institutions. Regional Science and Urban Economics, 37, 3: 283-313. DOI: 10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2006.11.008
  21. Huang J., Lu X. X., Sellers J. M. (2007), A Global Comparative Analysis of Urban Form: Applying Spatial Metrics and Remote Sensing. Landscape and Urban Planning, 82, 4: 184-197. DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2007.02.010
  22. Krugman P., Livas-Elizondo R. (1992), Trade Policy and the Third World Metropolis. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, NBER Working Paper n. 4238.
  23. Redding S., Venables A. J. (2004), Economic Geography and International Inequality. Journal of International Economics, 62, 1: 53-82.
  24. Sorensen A., Okata J. (2010), Introduction: Megacities, Urban Form and Sustainability. In: Sorensen A., Okata J. (eds.), Megacities: Urban Form, Governance and Sustainability. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. 1-12.
  25. Tripathi S. (2012), Do Large Agglomerations Lead to Economic Growth? Evidence from Urban India. Munich: University of Munich, MPRA Paper n. 38227.
  26. Van der Ploeg F., Poelhekke S. (2008), Globalization and the Rise of Mega Cities in the Developing World. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 1, 3: 477-501.
  27. United Nations (2011), World Urbanization Prospect, New York: UN.
  28. United Nations (1974), Manual VIII. Methods for Projections of Urban and Rural Population. United Nations publication, Sales, No. E.74.XIII.3. New York: UN.
  29. Wheaton W. C., Shishido H. (1981), Urban Concentration, Agglomeration Economies, and the Level of Economic Development. Economic Development and Cultural Change, 30, 1, 17-30.

Johann Spitzer, Giuseppe Folloni, Is Growth of Large Cities Linked to Economic and Institutional Weaknesses? in "SCIENZE REGIONALI " 3/2013, pp 23-52, DOI: 10.3280/SCRE2013-003002