11 - GROWTH POLES AND REGIONAL POLICY IN OPEN DUALISTIC ECONOMIES: WESTERN THEORY AND ASIAN REALITY

Abstract

An attempt is made to characterize Asian economies as they evolved from the colonial period discussing some of the problems of industrialization in the postcolonial transition and then considering the resultant patterns of urbanization and industrial development in these countries. Some partial evidence is offfered of different spatial manifestations of urban industrial growth which have led the countries concerned to adopt the growth pole approach as a strategy to solve these problems. Following a critique of the assumptions of this approach the concept of comparative urban efficiency is introduced as an explanation of the failure of the concentrated decentralization strategy adopted by these countries. This permits reexamination of the role of growth centers in solving the fundamental issue of labor absorption in Asian economies and exploration of the alternative complementary strategies within the broader framework of balanced urban rural regional development. The postcolonial development of many countries in Asia has been marked by the varying success of import substitution as a strategy of industrialization. This pattern of economic development is supported by a continuation of resource exploitation begun during the colonial period and a widening of the primary resource sector. In its spatial context this pattern of Asian development has led to extreme polarization of economic activities in a few regions and the growth of primate cities leaving the rural areas largely neglected. Consequently the problem of regional disparity of development has become a key issue in policy formulation for subnational development planning. After 2 decades of theoretical development and numerous empirical studies the growth pole approach has become a vital tool of public policy for regional economic development. The growth pole approach must be adapted to suit the special conditions of Asian development. Being urban oriented and creating weak links between the pole and its rural hinterland the growth pole approach is only a partial approach. It needs to be integrated with other complementary strategies in a broader regional policy framework. The several emerging ideas that are useful in the Asian context include the new agropolitan approach which is aimed at revitalizing the rural environment through seeking a symbiosis of industrial and agricultural development. The suggested shift to accelerated rural development as a prime mover of Asian development is complemented by the role of small and medium scale industries appropriate economic organizational innovations and a more positive attitude toward the informal sector in Asian primate cities. What is needed is a more balanced approach toward urban and rural development in Asian regional planning.