First Nature, Second Nature, and Metropolitan Location
Paul R. Krugman
Princeton University - Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)
June 1991
NBER Working Paper No. w3740
Abstract:
This paper develops models of spatial equilibrium in which a central metropolis emerges to supply manufactured goods to an agricultural hinterland. The location of the metropolis is not fully determined by the location of resources: as long as it is not too far from the geographical center of the region, the concentration of economic mass at the metropolis makes it the optimal location for manufacturing firms, and is thus self-justifying. The approach in this paper therefore helps explain the role of historical accident and self-fulfilling expectations in metropolitan location.
Number of Pages in PDF File: 32
working papers series
Suggested Citation
Krugman, Paul R., First Nature, Second Nature, and Metropolitan Location (June 1991). NBER Working Paper No. w3740. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=282684
