The Politics of Economic Development

Abstract

Global economic trends and local political pressures are forcing cities into competition for economic development. This phenomenon, well documented in the American literature, is now visible in Europe. Yet, the impact of economic trends is mediated by national political factors. In the United States, Britain, and France, local politics is being reconstituted, with the emergence of interclass, place-based development coalitions. These do not correspond to a single growth machine model but take differing forms in different national contexts.