ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book contains some of the papers presented at the Luxembourg conference on regional development. It reflected a growing concern and effort to address the in-adequacies of much socialist analysis of the 'regional problem', an inadequacy that limited class analysis and intervention. From the United States participants, there was a strong emphasis on theory building, an emphasis tinged with the possibilities and problems of structuralism. European participants emphasized the importance of considering major political initiatives that were emerging from the working class and socialist movements. Most importantly, there is a clear tension between the increasingly global level of economic activity and the localized nature of the working class response. Similar economic activities and conditions produce very different trade union, community and political responses.
