Urban economics

The increasingly pressing problems of how to finance local government expenditure, regulate urban land-use patterns, limit traffic congestion and control urban environmental decay form the central theme of this book. It provides a basic introduction, for both students and general readers, to modern urban economic theory, set in the context of our present exper ience. Other studies in this area have sought to synthesise abstract theory, K. J. Button's pur pose here is to relate this theory to the everyday problems confronting those with responsibility for the running of our major cities and con urbations.

The first section of the book sets down the theoretical background, emphasising both the narrow micro- and wide macroeconomic charac ter of most urban economic activities. This is followed by a more detailed discussion of cur rent urban problems from the economist's view point, emphasis being placed upon practical, as well as the theoretical, aspects of these debates. Finally, the urban public sector is discussed, and recent changes in local government organisation and finances are outlined and explained.
The volume thus offers both an outline of urban economic theory, presented in terms the general reader can understand, and an explana tion of how this theory can help practitioners tackle the very real and pressing problems facing our city authorities.