Regional Policy and Regional Integration reprints the most important papers on those government policies that have an intentional and formal geographic focus. These policies have typically been motivated by equity considerations such as reducing unemployment, increasing incomes, promoting structural adjustments or realizing development potentials. While the main objective of regional policy is to improve conditions in deprived areas, public resources must be used in such a way that these objectives are achieved efficiently. The topics covered in this important volume include regional integration and urban systems; income, amenities and welfare; infrastructure; manufacturing; services; innovative milieux; delineating planning regions and policy instruments.

Inspired by the realization that, in most countries, the commitment to regional development is determined by national ideological swings rather than the socio-economic conditions in a particular region (here meaning an area smaller than a country). Surveys and evaluates the history of regional polic