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Urbanization; the informal sector

4 important questions on Urbanization; the informal sector

Causes of the growth of cities (in absolute figures)

.1. Natural population growth --> Better health facilities/drinking/water/young population
2 Rural-Urban migration
    2.a Push --> Overpopulation or/and land degradation
    2.b Pull --> the lights, the feeling that you are in the city
    2.c bridge--> countryside connecting with cities, where are you now and where do you want to go, being familiar with the local place we need crucial information

3. Situ Urbanisation
+ extensions of urban boundaries, so the division between rural and cities fades. You can build large estates, land is cheap or place the factories there so you can escape the environmental regulations.

Solutions to stop the mega/rapid urbanisation?

-stimulate secondary cities (if you develop these, they see it as a stepping stone)
-develop rural areas (with infrastructure and education but then it is even easier to go to the cities)
-cutting all the connections with cities and with rural => an unacceptable solution nowadays

Informal sector (J.K. Hart)

-self-employment (creating work for yourself, selling the cigarettes in between, small profit)
-open access (everybody can join... no it is a fierce competition you can only survive when you accept small profit margin => you need social capital, networking establish relation with the police/streetgangs)
-service sector (offering goods/products==> can also be industrial)

-little capital, much labour (can be huggee)
-no formal education required

Problems with strategies for housing the poor

• Self-help housing is excuse for government
• Cheap housing helps capitalist exploitation
• Political power over condoned squatters
• Upgrading leads to gentrification
• Land for sites-and-services at urban fringe
• Core housing is too luxurious

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

Development and Globalization

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