The Regional Economic Development Movement: Early Approaches and the Evolution of Strategy

During the 1950s and 1960s, governments throughout the world became more and more concerned about economic development. This concern developed across both the private and the public sectors, and increasingly within the wider community In advanced western societies, in what were called the ‘long boom’ years following World War II—during which time rates of economic growth were high, levels of unemployment were low, and inflation was low—regional and local economies within nations largely were sheltered from external forces during an era of protectionist industry policies and national government controlled exchanged rates and restricted trading arrangements. But regional development was often a specific focus for national and state governments, typically directed towards major infrastructure projects for agricultural regions, such as the Tennessee Valley Authority, or development plans for depressed regions such as the Appalachia Regional Development Program development in the United States. Industry decentralization programs also were used in attempts to relocate industry to regions in decline. For example, in the United Kingdom the government was active in assisting old industrial regions such as Liverpool and Glasgow to attract new industries.