Theatres of Accumulation

2 _­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­Development theory and urbanization:rethinking the paradigm _­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­

The theory of underdevelopment and development can only be the theory of the accumulation of capital on a world scale.

(Amin 1974, 230)

Prologue

The role of cities in both capital accumulation and the generation of dependence, structural inequality and poverty is part of the larger history of the unequal relations existing within and between societies. It is, for us, a central role, the study of which helps us to understand the great variety and diverse dimensions of inequality. It has not, however, assumed such an important place in many schools of thinking in underdevelopment ...