B. W. Hodder - Economic Geography

ROUTLEDGE LIBRARY EDITIONS: ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY

Volume 3

ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY

ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY

B. W. HODDER AND ROGER LEE

First published in 1974

This edition first published in 2015
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN

and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017

1974 B. W. Hodder and Roger Lee

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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-138-85764-3 (Set)
eISBN: 978-1-315-71580-3 (Set)
ISBN: 978-1-138-88498-4 (Volume 3)
eISBN: 978-1-315-71574-2(Volume 3)

Publishers Note
The publisher has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality of this reprint but points out that some imperfections in the original copies may be apparent.

Disclaimer
The publisher has made every effort to trace copyright holders and would welcome correspondence from those they have been unable to trace.

Economic Geography

B. W. HODDER and ROGER LEE

METHUEN & CO. LTD

ISBN 0 416 07090 6

For my ParentsB.W.H.

For Lesley; Thomas,
who embodies all things good in my life;
and for my MotherR. L.

Progress in modern geography has brought rapid changes in course work. At the same time the considerable increase in students at colleges and universities has brought a heavy and sometimes intolerable demand on library resources. The need for cheap text-books introducing techniques, concepts and principles in the many divisions of the subject is growing and is likely to continue to do so. Much post-school teaching is hierarchical, treating the subject at progressively more specialized levels. This series provides textbooks to serve the hierarchy and to provide therefore for a variety of needs. In consequence some of the books may appear to overlap, treating in part of similar principles or problems, but at different levels of generalization. However, it is not our intention to produce a series of exclusive works, the collection of which will provide the reader with a complete geography, but rather to serve the needs of todays geography students who mostly require some common general basis together with a selection of specialized studies.

Between the old and the new geographies there is no clear division. There is instead a wide spectrum of ideas and opinions concerning the development of teaching in geography. We hope to show something of that spectrum in the series, but necessarily its existence must create differences of treatment as between authors. There is no general series view or theme. Each book is the product of its authors opinions and must stand on its own merits.

W. B. MORGAN
J. C. PUGH
University of London
Kings College
August, 1971

The authors and publisher wish to thank the following:

The Editor of New Society for

The University of Pennsylvania Press for

The Editor of Regional Studies for

George Bell & Sons Ltd for

Cambridge University Press for

John Wiley & Sons Inc for

Weidenfeld & Nicolson Ltd for

The Editor of Economic Geography for

Pergamon Press Ltd for

George Allen and Unwin for

The Association of American Geographers for

Oxford University Press for

The Editor of the Geographical Magazine for

The Colston Research Society for

The Institute of British Geographers for

The University of Oregon Press for

Yale University Press for

Harper & Row Publishers, Inc for

Prentice-Hall Inc for

The Editor of The Canadian Geographer for

Earth Island (Publishers) Ltd for

With the recent rapid growth of information in all branches of economic geography it might reasonably be argued that the attempt to deal with the subject as a distinct field of study is an impossible and perhaps intellectually futile task. A glance at any major series of university textbooks reveals how wide-ranging are the interpretations placed upon the subject matter of economic geography by its modern practitioners and demonstrates that generalization within the field is retreating rapidly with the advance of well-founded specialization. What then is the justification for a short introductory text on the whole field of economic geography?

The operation of economies is a vital and fundamental influence upon social structure and the distribution of power in society. This influence stems from the essentially integrated nature of economies, and is shaped by the social value system which is both a cause and consequence of prevailing economic values. In our own teaching of economic geography we have found it fruitful to build around the neo-classical concept of the economy as a framework upon which to construct the otherwise diffuse and discrete subject matter. Such a concept also points to the dominance of neo-classical economic theory (with its implied value system) in the theoretical development of economic geography. Furthermore, the concept enables us to begin to discern the importance of economic power as the key to the complex relationships between economy and society. Whilst it is not possible in a review of contemporary economic geography, based as it is upon neo-classical theory, to develop this theme very fully, it is hoped that the explicit recognition of the bias and inherent limitations of the neoclassical approach will clear the ground for a more realistic economic geography in the future.

Thus while the following pages introduce the reader to many lines of thought in the literature of economic geography, the major aim of this book is to tie these ideas together within the concept of the economy so as to provide a simple and logical basis for discussion, further reading and subsequent specialization. Many will disagree with some of the ideas, interpretations or emphases given here. But if a short introductory book of this kind is to have any value at all it must express a clearly defined if rather personal point of view.

Many people have contributed to this book, but our greatest debt must be to our students and teachers. Professor W. B. Morgan gave us much helpful criticism and prodded us when this was most needed. Dr Ronald Ng kindly read the proofs and made a number of valuable suggestions. Maureen List, Steve Pratt and Don Shewan drew the diagrams under Dons most calm and efficient supervision. Pete Newman and Alan Gillard converted the originals into prints. Linda Agombar, Mary Putney, Valerie Armes and Lesley Lee were compelled to combine their typing efforts to cope with our illegible manuscripts. We apologize once more, but remain most grateful for their patience.