WSE - Human Geography Lesson

Human Geography

Economic Development

The Industrial Revolution, which prompted the shift in population from rural to urban, also encouraged market economies, which have evolved into modern consumer societies. Various theories and models have been developed over the years to help explain these changes. For example, in 1929, the American demographer Warren Thompson developed the demographic transition model (DTM) to explain population growth based on an interpretation of demographic history. A revised version of Thompson's model outlines five stages of demographic transition, from traditional rural societies to modern urban societies:

Stage 1: High birth and death rates; rural preindustrial society
Stage 2: Declining death rate; developing country
Stage 3: Declining birth rate; high urbanization rate
Stage 4: Low birth and death rates; stabilized population
Stage 5: Declining population; urban postindustrial society

Index of Economic Development

Index of economic development: Rural-to-Urban Shift - the formula states that as countries urbanize and industrialize, family size will naturally go down and incomes traditionally go up.

As a general trend, when a country experiences increasing levels of industrial activity and greater urban growth, the outcome is usually a higher standard of living for its people. Additionally, a rural-to-urban shift takes place, driven by the pull of opportunities and advantages in the industrializing and urbanizing areas. Though there are exceptions, a decrease in family size usually coincides with a higher level of urbanization. In stage 4, there is typically an elevated level of growth in the industrial and service sectors with a great need for infrastructure in the form of transportation, housing, and human services. As incomes increase and family size decreases, a consumer society emerges, creating stage 5, where high mass consumption can drive the economy. Many countries in stage 5 can eventually experience a negative population growth rate in which the fertility rate (family size) is below replacement levels (statistically around 2.1 children). Demand for entry-level workers is often higher in these countries and immigrants with fewer skills take the entry-level jobs. Countries in stage 4 or 5 of the index of economic development are often attractive places for those seeking greater economic opportunities or advantages. An established country with a long-standing history and culture does not always welcome an influx of new immigrants. The arrival of an immigrant labor pool often includes individuals who hold diverse cultural traditions or customs than those of the mainstream society. Social tensions arise if different ethnic groups are vying for the same cultural spaces and opportunities. Europe is experiencing immigration issues because of its economic development.

Economic Development and Human Migration

Economic development and human migration are highly correlated. Since locations possessing greater opportunities or advantages can achieve a higher standard of living for their people, these areas are more desirable and tend to pull or encourage people to move to them. Human migration patterns around the world demonstrate humanity's desire to live in areas where opportunities and advantages abound. Opportunities and advantages include factors such as natural resources, human labor, or in some cases, a specific location that provides greater access to the world's markets.

Common modern migration types include rural-to-urban migrations and periphery-to-core migrations. Rural-to-urban shift occurs when people move from a rural agricultural area to a city for employment or a better lifestyle. These migrations often happen within a single country. When people migrate from a poor country to a postindustrial country, they do so because they are seeking opportunities or advantages in life that their native land does not possess. This type of migration is called a core-periphery migration.

Core-Periphery

Map of the Core Periphery: Eastern Asia (EAC), Western Europe (EU), North America (NAFTA)

In the global economy, there are three core areas of wealthy industrialized countries: North America, Western Europe, and Eastern Asia. Located in the Northern Hemisphere, these core areas and their prosperous neighbors make up the centers of economic activity that drive the global economy. Power, wealth, and opportunity have traditionally been centered in the core areas of the world. These locations are urbanized, industrialized, and hold immense economic and political power. Ideas, technology, and cultural activity thrive in these areas. Although they are vibrant, advanced societies, the core depends on the periphery for raw materials, food, and cheap labor.

The periphery, in turn, depends on the core for manufactured goods, services, and governmental support. Peripheral regions include portions of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and all the other places that primarily make their living from local resources and support the economic core. It is significant to note that many of the peripheral regions of today were once the colonial territories of the core regions during earlier times. Geographically, it is worth noting that most of the peripheral regions of the world are in the southern hemisphere.

Throughout the world, migration patterns follow the core-periphery spatial relationship in that people and wealth usually shift from the peripheral rural regions to the urban core regions.

Brain Drain

Although it may sound like a student ailment, brain drain is a term or way to describe the phenomenon whereby peripheral countries lose their educated or professional citizens to wealthier core nations. The process often begins when a peripheral country cannot offer its talented youth the education or work experiences they desire. These youth move to core areas to pursue an education or more advantageous employment. Unfortunately for the peripheral countries, few of the individuals return to the rural periphery to share their knowledge or success with their former community.

The Core-Periphery Spatial Relationship

Concept Map of the Core Periphery.
Periphery: have-nots; Core: haves
Urban: industries, government, social elites, financial power, education system
Rural: mining, forestry, agriculture, little power, brain drain, low wages

Three Core Economic Areas of the World: North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA); the European Union (EU); and the East Asian Community (EAC)

Centrifugal and Centripetal Forces

Cultural forces continually apply pressure on a country. Some of these cultural forces pull the nation together (centripetal forces) and others pull it apart (centrifugal forces). Primary sources of these cultural forces include religion, language, ethnicity, politics, and economic conditions.

Centrifugal forces divide a state and centripetal forces hold a state together.

When there is division, conflict, or confrontation, the centrifugal forces are at play. When unification, agreement, or nationalism are being exercised, centripetal forces are evident. Ironically, the sources that tie a country together can also be the sources that divide a country. Ethnic unity can be a positive force, while ethnic division and conflict can be a divisive force. Disagreement, inequity, or injustice related to the cultural factors of ethnicity, religion, language, and economics of a region or country is the cause of most conflicts. If centrifugal forces become strong, the result may be outright civil war.

RESOURCES IN THIS MODULE ARE OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (OER) OR CREATED BY GAVS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. SOME IMAGES ARE USED UNDER SUBSCRIPTION.