ABSTRACT
The expansion of modern cities and the emergence of vast metropolitan areas occurred on numerous levels. Despite various legal and administrative aspects, political transformation, immigration currents, and even urban design plans, the most salient factor in this development always proves to be money. Investments were necessary in order to acquire space for the long-term growth of the metropolis. The process of the creation of integrated, later Greater Prague (1870–1920) proved to be very expensive for the Prague municipality, with inner-city opposition always raising its head. However, the greatest resistance to the integration of the metropolis came from representatives of the towns incorporated, who lost control of their municipal treasury, eliminating the possibility of the local elite to decide on town and other construction projects or to control the development of their towns strictly in favour of the local elite. And yet, the towns which, in contrast, actually wished to integrate into Prague were also concerned primarily about money. Prominent conditions in incorporation agreements involved the assumption of town debts by Prague, the construction of infrastructure, and the financing of projects in the public interest. For that matter, the young Czechoslovakia had a vested financial interest, and its officials intervened aggressively in the final phase of the formation of Greater Prague with the aim of subjugating the rich and powerful city both politically and financially. In the end, Prague acquired sufficient space for its expansion, albeit at the high cost of the debts it was forced to take on.
