ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the key concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book. The book provides various examples of where the social and spatial impacts of governments' macro-ecomomic or pricing policies or sectoral investment plans were contrary to stated social and spatial goals. It outlines some centres developing largely because they were chosen to serve as a centre for provincial or state government, or as a centre of military control. The book shows that many of the most powerful influences on where development takes place within the urban system stem from macro-economic policies, government structure, tax systems, pricing policies and sectoral investment plans. The book suggests that governments' macro-economic and pricing policies and sectoral priorities, combined with weak and ineffective local government, are often a major reason why so much new productive investment concentrates in a few large city.
