ABSTRACT
In Chapter 2 we argued the need for a series of middle-level concepts to close the gap between theory and practice, and between global trends and local changes. The relevance of these concepts to our understanding of change was then illustrated through an historical account of rural development in the UK. This demonstrated that economic actors, the regulatory planning system and local political configurations are all important in shaping specific land development processes. The development of land is place-specific; although the forces governing it may be national or international, the outcomes are always localized.
