ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides some limited aspects of the abstract structure, fundamental in the sense that they transcend individual cities apparently differentiated by their idiosyncratic characteristics. It addresses von Thunen who provides a conceptual foundation for the entire new urban economics. The book focuses on the physical complement of von Thunen's investigation with respect to the Isolated State. It aims to deal with the complement of location theory with respect to the city: whereas location theory investigates supply given demand and also investigates demand given supply. There is an isolated city-state consisting of an urban centre and a surrounding hinterland. Clearly, since the population of the marketplace is irrelevant in the Isolated State, while the production of agricultural activities is irrelevant here, the two worlds do not fit.
