Connecting Cities with Macroeconomic Concerns : The Missing Link

Freire, Mila ; Polè ; se, Mario ; Echeverria, Pamela

Washington, DC:World Bank

关键词: PUBLIC SERVICES;    ECONOMIC GROWTH;    METHODOLOGY;    RESEARCH;    PUBLIC GOODS;   

DOI  :  10.1596/0-8213-5673-9
RP-ID  :  27833

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

Urban growth is, in all parts of theworld, inevitable and welcomed. Despite concerns that localgovernments will not be able to address those issuesassociated with increased urban population, the number ofpeople living in urban centers will sur-pass those of therural population by 2030. Since productivity levels areconsistently higher in urban areas than in rural settings,this would seem a reason to rejoice since it suggests morepeople with higher salaries, better standards of living, andless poverty. But will this be the reality, or will thenightmare of hopeless poverty overshadow the positivefeelings of economic wealth and progress? This disjunctionbetween the wonders of the city and the horrors facing thehomeless poor is at the core of any professional work oneconomic development and urban management issues. On onehand, everyone agrees that cities are wonderful instrumentsof change, culture, motivation and progress. Cities are alsoat the core of democratic progress. Local governmentelections offer a laboratory in which citizens can exercisetheir rights to political action. The importance of citiesthroughout human civilization is well demonstrated by theprotection they enjoyed during humanity's most violentperiods, and this often at the expense of the rural sector.On the other hand, cities are often unable to adequatelyanswer to the needs of newcomers. Deficits in housing, waterand sanitation have an immediate impact on environmentaldegradation, health indicators, child mortality, and theself-esteem of city inhabitants. City managers and mayorsmust deal with this disjunction, and make decisions withoutadequate resources. They face challenges that range fromshrewdly handling municipal finances, to providing extendedservices in an effort to reach the poor.