ABSTRACT
The concept of ‘city’ is notoriously hard to define. The aim of the present essay is to present the city historically – or rather prehistorically – as the resultant and symbol of a ‘revolution’ that initiated a new economic stage in the evolution of society. The word ‘revolution’ must not of course be taken as denoting a sudden violent catastrophe; it is here used for the culmination of a progressive change in the economic structure and social organization of communities that caused, or was accompanied by, a dramatic increase in the population affected – an increase that would appear as an obvious bend in the population graph were vital statistics available. Just such a bend is observable at the time of the Industrial Revolution in England. Though not demonstrable statistically, comparable changes of direction must have occurred at two earlier points in the demographic history of Britain and other regions. Though perhaps less sharp and less durable, these too should indicate equally revolutionary changes in economy. They may then be regarded likewise as marking transitions between stages in economic and social development.
