ABSTRACT
The history, the political-institutional setting, and the economy of secondary capital cities (SCCs) are all shaped by the capital city function. More precisely, constitutional and state-theoretical ideas are mirrored in the selection of capital cities, as well as in the degree of local autonomy granted. There are a wide variety of reasons why secondary cities were chosen as the capitals of their respective nations. Generally, federalist countries are more likely to select secondary cities as their capitals in order to balance power relations in the national urban system and to separate economic and political power. The establishment of Washington, DC as the US capital under federal rule is a product of the US Constitution, which entered into force in 1789. Former president James Madison explained that, in order to ensure independence from any city, state, or commercial interest, the US capital should be under the exclusive authority of Congress.
