Different Stages Of Urbanization

Different Stages Of Urbanization

 

We can identify four stages of urbanization

1. Ancient Urban Settlements

2. Greco-Roman city

3. Former industrial city

4. Industrial and modern city

 

 

1. Ancient Cities: Ancient cities were small by modern standards; they were small walled areas surrounded by agricultural hinterland. Nineveh, Babylon, Erech were important cities in his time. But they could not support a large population like the cities of today. Transportation and sanitation issues do not allow these large populations. Earlier cities had to build walls for the purpose of defence.

 

In his article “The Origin and Growth of Urbanization”, Kingsley Davis offers the following explanation for why ancient cities were small.

1. The backward, static and labor intensive nature of agriculture and transport. Agriculture was so complex that several cultivators were needed to support one man in the city. The technique of transport was also a limiting factor. Boats, animal-carriers and man-carriers were all inadequate.
2. Political Limitations: The difficulty of communication and transportation and the existence of multi-fisted local tribal cultures made the formation of large national units almost impossible.
3. Lack of scientific medicine making urban life fatal.
4. Stability of farmers on land which reduces rural-urban migration.
5. Lack of large scale manufacturing.
6. Bureaucratic control of the peasantry which stifled free trade in the hinterland.
7. Traditionalism and religiosity of all classes hindered

Technological and economic advancement.

– Babylon occupied an area of 3.2 square miles

– Ur with its canals, port and temples occupied about 220 acres (≤ 500 persons)

– Erech’s walls covered an area of only two square miles (≤ 25,000 persons).

The grouping of people in ancient urban centers enabled the development of an urban culture focused on manufacturing and services, and resulted in a more elaborate social division of labor. had permanent markets

 

Built, kinship and dynamic political systems appeared. Originally, warrior groups were selected for service in times of external conflict. Later, warriors were maintained even during times of peace.

1. Greco-Roman city

The second phase in the history of urban centers was witnessed in Europe. This happened roughly between 600BC and 400AD. Roughly it covered about 1000 years. For example, the population of Athens during the 5th century BC was approximately 120 to 180 thousand.

 

 

The economy of Greco-Roman cities was agricultural. Nevertheless, the major stimulating factors for the growth of the urban center were:

 

1. Improvement in iron tools and weapons
2. Sail boats improved, better and bigger ships were built
3. Production of cheap coins to facilitate exchange of goods and services. Heavy and perishable articles of exchange were replaced by coins.
4. Development of alphabetic writing: Pictographic writing systems were

The alphabet was replaced by writing and it facilitated communication.

5. Emergence of more democratic institutions.

All the above factors helped in increasing production, encouraging trade, expanding effective political unit and political control. Despite the fact that there were many Greco-Roman cities; Populating thousands, they were conquered by less urbanized outsiders (barbarians or Germans). The decline of the Greco-Roman cities ushered in a period commonly known as the “Dark Ages”, which extended from the 5th to the 10th centuries. The disintegration of the Roman Empire led to feudalism in Western Europe and the Byzantine Empire in Eastern Europe. Local communities were isolated, nation states died, and trade and commerce collapsed during the Dark Ages.

 

 

2. Former industrial city

With the end of the Dark Ages, cities began to grow once again. Pre-industrial cities refer to medieval European cities; They were ordinary towns of feudal Europe. Many of these cities are now quite large and have become metropolitan centres. For example

Florence had a population of 90,000 in 1339.

Venus had a population of 119,000 in 1322.

London had a population of 30,000 in 1377

Frankfurt had a population of 20,000 in 1440.

Gideon Soberg, in his article “The Preindustrial City”, analyzed medieval cities in their context

1. Ecological organization
2. Economic organization
3. Social organization

 

1. Ecological organization: Pre-industrial cities were centers of marketing, manufacturing activities. Apart from this they do religious, political and educational work. The proportion of urban relatives of farmers did not exceed the lowest 10%. This non-industrialization of the total social system

That is due to nature. Non-mechanized agriculture, transport facilities using mainly human or animal power, and inefficient methods of food preservation and storage have limited the amount of surplus food available. The internal arrangement of the cities was that they were divided into quarters or wards surrounded by walls reflecting sharp social divisions.

• Specific ethnic and occupational groups, such as goldsmiths, live in special classes. This social isolation and limited transport facilities have encouraged

 

• Choice of well defined neighborhoods that are all primary groups. Excluded groups live on the periphery.
• Most of the streets in the cities were narrow, there was no need to make sensible streets. Vehicles were used as a means of transport. The buildings were small and crowded together, tall buildings were not known. There was no such urban planning exercise.
• There is no functional specialization of land use. The houses function as workshops. Mosques and churches were schools, market places and focal points of community life.

 

2. Economic organization

 

 Identifies some of the major economic structures of pre-industrial cities:

o Dependence on living sources of energy for the production of goods and

 Services (Hammer, Winch, Wheel)

 Social organization: The literate elite is made up of individuals holding positions in government, religious and/or educational institutions. They belong to the “right” families and enjoy power, wealth, and certain highly valued personal characteristics. His position is legitimized by the sacred writings. The public is made up of groups such as handicraft workers.

 Social mobility is minimal and excluded groups such as slaves and beggars are not an integral part of the dominant social system. They hold a lower rank than the urban lower classes, performing tasks considered humiliating.

 

 Slight specialization of work: The handicraftsman participates in every stage of the manufacture of an article, often working in his home or in a small shop nearby. He works within the limits of certain guild or community rules while maintaining direct control over working conditions and methods of production.

 There are no special managerial groups and control others.

 

 

 Non-standardisation of products: There is no standard method of production, standardized measure of quality and quantity and standard price of goods.

 

 The work is done at home or in a nearby shop. Work place and residential place are no different.

 

 Professional groups such as Smith Things are organized into guilds. Associations have been established for all kinds of economic activities like traders, handicraftsmen, servants, entertainers etc.

 

 The formal government had close links with educational and religious institutions. The main functions of the government were a) paying tribute to support the activities of the elite group b) maintaining law and order. Formal education was limited to the male elite, its purpose being to train individuals for positions in governmental, educational, or religious hierarchies.

 Kinship and family organization exhibits some rigid patterns of sex and age discrimination, marriage is a prerequisite for adult status and is arranged physically within families rather than by individuals. A formal system of age grading is an effective mechanism of social control among siblings, with the eldest son o privileged. Children and youth are subject to parental and other addictions. This coupled with early marriages inhibited the development of a youth culture. Older people held considerable power and prestige, which contributed to the slow pace of change.

 

4. Modern City

industrial cities and metropolitan areas

• With the advent of industrialization new means of transport were introduced. The horse was replaced by the vehicle, the walls around the cities were no longer important. New weapons and defense equipment were fabricated. The Industrial Revolution was the result of new technology facilitated by the widespread use of inanimate power (coal, steam, etc.).
• Advances in production technology and the development of factor systems led to an increasing demand for wage labor. This led to large scale migration of people to the growing urban centres. Improvements in agricultural technology also forced people to migrate from remote areas to the urban center in search of employment.
• The process of urbanization took a further leap during the 20th century, especially after the Second World War. This period experienced the increasing size of urban centers (metropolitan Zion) and the emergence of new urban centers.

A metropolis is a situation where a major city center is surrounded by a complex of densely populated and economically integrated suburban communities.

Convergence: It refers to the merger of several already existing cities

Megalopolis: Urbanized area consisting of several metropolitan areas.

 

 

 

 

Functional Classification City

 

Cities are settlements where many activities are carried out. In this sense all cities are multifunctional, however small they may be. It is possible to classify urban centers on the basis of the main activities they perform.

economic center political center

 

Cultural Center Residential Center Recreation Center Symbolic Center Miscellaneous Center

 

1. Economic Center

 

 centers of primary production mining, oiling, fishing towns like Ziway, Arba Minch

 Manufacturing centers Kalti, Wonji, Akaki,

 Business Center National or

 Reciprocal

that business centers like

 d) Transport Center Port and Train Center

 Service Center Financial Services like Banking Insurance

 

 

2. Political Centre: Political iterative center a

  International nation and regional level eg. Washington DC, London, Paris < Geneva, Addis Ababa, Bahirdar, Awassa etc.

Most of the Ethiopian centers are political in nature. Their major function performed is administration at Warda, Zone, Area and Federal levels. Under political centers we have military centers including fort bases and training centers. eg. debrezeit, jigjiga

 

 

3. Cultural Centre: Those are the cities where most of their activities are cultural in origin. Religious cultural centers include cities such as Jerusalem, Mecca, Lalibela and Axum. Secular cultural centers are centers of learning and educational centers. Like Alemaya. Museum centers that attract visitors, and cities where films and videos are made, are also cultural centers. eg. holly wood
4. Recreational Access: Cities where recreational facilities attract people. It is difficult to identify such a center in Ethiopia. it is difficult to identify

 

Center in Ethiopia. There are many of them in more developed countries because people spend part of their time in entertainment centers. Transport facility and income level of the population determine the existence of such centres.

5. Residential Centers: Dormitory suburbs, retirement centers where residents work elsewhere.
6. Symbolic Centres: Cities that are unique symbols of a country. rome is one

The symbolic city of Italy and Bethlehem in Israel are symbolic for the Christians of the world.

7. Miscellaneous Centres: Sometimes it becomes difficult to classify urban centers in a specific category in the absence of a major activity. We then group such urban centers as miscellaneous centres.

 

 

 

 

 

physical and ecological pattern of the city

 

 

 

 

 

 

Central Place Theory

 

Central place theory is a spatial theory in urban geography that attempts to explain the reasons behind the distribution patterns, sizes and numbers of cities and towns around the world. It also attempts to provide a framework by which those regions can be studied both for historical reasons and for the spatial patterns of the regions today.

The theory was first developed by German geographer Walter Christeller in 1933, when he began to recognize the economic relationship between cities and their hinterlands (distant areas). He tested the theory mainly in southern Germany and came to the conclusion that people gather in cities to share goods and ideas and that they exist for purely economic reasons.

 

However, before testing his theory, Kristeller first had to define the central place. In keeping with its economic focus, he came to the conclusion that central places exist primarily to provide goods and services to their surrounding populations. The city is, in essence, a distribution center.

 

 

 

Christaller’s beliefs

In order to focus on the economic aspects of his theory, Chrysler had to make a set of assumptions. They decided, for example, that the rural areas of the areas they were studying would be flat, so no barriers would exist to impede the movement of people across it.

In addition, two assumptions were made about human behavior: 1) Kristeller stated that humans would always buy goods from the nearest place that offered the good, and 2) whenever the demand for a certain commodity was high, it would Will be offered shortly. Thanks for the population. When the demand decreases, the availability of the commodity also decreases.

Furthermore, threshold is an important concept in Kristler’s study. It is the minimum number of people required for a central location business or activity to remain active and prosperous.

This is followed by the idea of lower-order and higher-order items. Low-order goods are items that are frequently replenished such as food and other regular household items. Because these items are purchased regularly, small businesses can survive in small towns because people will often shop at nearby locations rather than going into town.

Higher-order goods, however, are specialty items such as automobiles, furniture, fine jewelry, and home appliances that are purchased less frequently. Because they require a large range and people do not buy them regularly, many businesses selling these items cannot survive in populated areas.

 

Small. Therefore, they are often located in large cities that can serve large populations in the surrounding hinterland.

size and spacing of the central spot

Within the central location system, there are five sizes of communities. A hamlet et is the smallest and is a rural community that is too small to be considered a village. Cape Dorset (population 1200), located in the Nunavut territory of Canada, is an example of a Hamel et. The rank order of central places is:

 

• Hamlet
• Village
• town
• City
• Regional Capital

 

Examples of regional capitals would include Paris, France or Los Angeles, California. These cities provide possible goods of the highest order and a

There is a vast hinterland.

 

 

 

 

Central Place Theory Geometry and Ordering

 

If visualized visually, the central space is located at the vertices (points) of equilateral triangles. They then serve the evenly distributed consumers closest to the central location. As the vertices join, they form a series of hexagons—the traditional shape in many central space models.

This shape is ideal because it allows the central location to connect the triangles formed by the vertices and it represents the assumption that consumers will go to the closest location offering the commodity.

Furthermore, there are three orders or principles of the central place theory. The first is the marketing principle and is shown as K=3 (K is a constant). In this system,

 

The market area at a certain level of the central place hierarchy is three times as large as the next lowest. The various levels then follow a progression of three, meaning that as one moves up the order of places, the number of the next level increases threefold. For example, when there are two cities, there will be six towns, 18 villages, and 54 villages.

There is also the transport principle (k = 4) where the area in the central position hierarchy is four times larger than the area in the next lowest order. Finally, the administrative stratigraphic principle (K = 7) is the last system and here, the variation between the lowest order and the highest order is increased by a factor of seven. Here, the highest order trading area completely covers the lowest order, which means that the market serves a large area.

 

losch’s central place theory

In 1954, German economist August Lösch revised Chrysler’s central location theory because he believed it was too rigid. He thought that Chrysler’s model led to a pattern where the distribution of goods and

 

The accumulation of profits was entirely based on location. Instead they focused on maximizing consumer welfare and creating an ideal consumer scenario where the need to travel for any good was minimized and profits were kept level, not maximized to earn extra.

 

Central Place Theory Today

 

Although Losch’s central place theory looked at the ideal environment for the consumer, both his and Chrysler’s ideas are essential to the study of the location of retail in urban areas today. Often, small settlements in rural areas serve as central locations for various smaller settlements as they are the places people travel to buy their daily goods. However, when they need to buy high value goods

 

Like cars and computers, they have to travel to the big city or town — which not only serves their small township but also the people around them. This model is shown all over the world, from rural areas of England to the Midwest of the United States or Alaska with many small communities that are served by larger towns, cities and regional capitals. Central place theory attempts to answer the question “What determines the number, size and distribution of cities?”

 

Imagine a flat homogeneous plain with an even population distribution. The people of this plain require goods and services such as groceries, clothing, furniture, access to a doctor, etc. These goods and services have two important characteristics; limit and threshold. The range of a commodity is the distance over which people are prepared to travel to purchase the commodity.

 

The minimum population required to support a constant supply of the good is the threshold of a good. The goods and services having large quantity and wide range are called high order goods and services. Since lower order goods and services have smaller ranges and limited ranges, we would expect to find higher order goods and services in large cities that have large range populations. A large number of widely distributed small places will provide low order goods and services. There will be a small number of large centers which provide lower order and higher order goods and services.

 

Each city served as a hub for the surrounding hinterland. Central places came into being primarily as intermediaries for local commerce, serving the functions of the surrounding hinterland. Whatever is produced in the hinterland comes into the city and is then exported to the outside world, and vice versa. That’s why every city has an area of influence.

 

German geographer Walter Christeller published a book called “Central Place Theory” (1933). He stated that the cities with the lowest level of specialization would be evenly spaced and surrounded by a hexagonal-shaped hinterland.

 

For every six of these cities, there would be a larger more specialized city, which would in turn be located at a similar distance from other cities with a similar level of specialization. Such a city will also have a large hexagonal service area for its specific services. Even more specific settlements would also have their own hinterland and would be equidistant from each other.

 

 

 

 

national urban system

We have three types of urban systems

 

1. Primate Pattern: Where the largest city accounts for 30% or more of the total urban population

, The Primate City is four or five times the size of the next largest city. It dominates all the economic, political and socio-cultural activities of the country. This pattern of urbanization is characteristic of underdeveloped countries and countries with a colonial past.

2. Rank size rule pattern: It shows a vertical relationship between the number and p [cities population size]. If the urban settlements are placed in descending order of population size from 1st to nth, then the population of the nth settlement will be 1/nx of the size of the largest city. This type of urban pattern is characteristic of economically developed and self-sufficient countries.
3. Medium-sized distribution: There is a situation where either large or small towns are missing. eg. Australia lacks small cities and Canada lacks very large cities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Concentric Zone Theory

 

Concentric field theory is a diagram of ecological structure which, in the words of its author, ‘represents an idealized construction of one’s instincts’.

… the borough tends to expand radially from its central business district’ (R. Park and E.

Burgess, The City, 1925).

The theory places concentric zones around the central zone, defined by their residential composition, running from the very poor and socially disenfranchised, to a peripheral suburban commuter ring, in the inner zone of transition. this is model

 

It is based on the assumption that a city develops from a series of concentric zones from a central region outwards.

The first and smallest area is the Central Business District (CBD). It is the focal point of the commercial, social and cultural life of th

City, and corresponds to the area of highest land values. Only those activities whose profits are sufficient to pay the high rents can be located in this area. The heart of the zone is the downtown retail district with its large department stores and smart shops, but the area also houses the main offices of financial institutions, the headquarters of various political organizations, the main theaters and cinemas, and the more expensive ones. hotel. The CBD is the most generally accessible area in the city and has the largest number of commuters and commuters each day. The main transport terminals are located there.

Zone II is characterized by residential decline, its population ranging from the mentally disordered and criminal to the cosmopolitan, ethnic villagers and remnants of its earlier inhabitants now terrified of changes in their environment, the region is characterized by a highly mobile population . As members of a population become prosperous or raise families, they move into zone three, leaving behind the elderly, isolated, defeated, leaderless, and helpless.

Zone III is the area of “free working men’s homes”, its population consisting of families of factory and shop workers who have managed to prosper enough to escape the zone of transition, but who still have access to their workplaces. Need cheap and easy access. The area is centered on factories and its population forms a respectable working class.

Zone IV: An area of “better housing” which is an area of middle class population living in substantial private houses or in strategically good apartment blocks.

 

Points assisted sizing centers, “satellite loops” developed mimicking the expensive services of the downtown area.

Zone V, the “travelers’ belt” is characterized by single family residences, it is a dormitory area. Thus mother and wife become the center of family life.

Burgess himself argued that this structure is the result of competition between users for land – a process analogous to ecological competition between biological species for territory. In human societies, these ‘biotic’ processes are overshadowed by cultural processes, which limit the conflict and social disorder that result from unfettered territorial competition.

 

Control is exercised through the division of the population into specific groups defined by common ethnic identity, occupational status or economic status. Within each region, groups occupy particular natural areas, forming an ‘urban mosaic’ of local communities. Social and economic mobility through ecological processes of invasion, domestication and succession lead to changes in patterns of territorial occupation. This model is a perfect type.

 

However, geographers and economists later proposed more complex diagrams of urban structure and typology of natural regions, aided by larger data-sets and the advent of computer technology. This social field analysis largely ignores the broader issues of social process and structure that concern Burgess and his colleagues in their distinctive contribution to the development of urban sociology.