In what sense a regional problem?

Massey D. (1979) In what sense a regional problem? Reg. Studies 13, 233–243. The paper discusses the nature of ‘regional problems’. It argues that a number of common assumptions about regional inequality are ill-founded. In particular, it argues, many frequently-used approaches imply (implicitly or explicitly) that such problems are purely questions of geographical distribution, and that the crucial questions in their analysis concern the nature of changes in the spatial surface. This position is reflected in the methodology for assessing regional policy, in statistical techniques, in policy formulations, etc. An alternative view of the generation of regional inequality is suggested. This is based on concepts of division of labour, and explicitly relates geographical distribution to production. Examples are elaborated, and it is argued that spatial inequality in the UK may be undergoing a change both in nature and in pattern.