ABSTRACT
The old, isolated, rural community where local people have little or no contact with the towns and cities of their society is becoming increasingly rare. Asia has traditionally led the way for humanity in terms of cities and urbanization. China lagged behind much of East Asia in terms of urbanization rates during most of the 20th century and by 1970 had only caught up to the urbanization level of Southeast Asia, the other relatively nonurban global region. At the century's close, however, and with nearly a quarter of the world's population, China is today leading the charge as the twin processes of townization and citization bring much of humanity into that urbanized reality. The external demands cause countries to become "overurbanized" as their forced austerity undermines the national ability to support their burgeoning urban masses. China must balance this global engagement with the best of its socialist past and its fierce nationalist striving for self-determination.
