The Megalopolis
The Megalopolis
The Megalopolis
The Megalopolis
Population, Urbanization & the Environment > The Megalopolis
Table of Contents
Abstract
Keywords
Overview
One Great System
Post World War II Expansion
Further Insights
Issues
Varying Definitions
The Case of California
Israel
Conclusion
Terms & Concepts
Bibliography
On-line Resources
Suggested Reading
Abstract
This paper examines the term megalopolis, and presents an
overview of the theoretical framework examining the phenomenon, while also expanding on definitional constructs, meaning,
and the terms use in theory and as applied to situations. This
paper compares Gottmanns view with those of other theorists
and their interpretations of the term and its use. In addition to
examining the phenomenon, issues are identified that examines the megalopolis in California and Israel, presenting both a
short overview of applicability in both national and international
Overview
The term Megalopolis was first used by Jean Gottmann (1961) to
describe the urbanized area of the northeast region of the United
States. He first described this region as an almost continuous
stretch of urban and suburban areas from southern New Hampshire to northern Virginia and from the Atlantic shore to the
Appalachian foothills, (p. 3) which consisted in 1960 of a total
population of 37 million people. Johnston and Sidaway (2004)
described Gottmanns work as lying outside the project of postwar Anglo-American human geography (cited in Pawson, 2008,
p. 441). In 1957, Gottmann first used the term in English, and
in order to construct the term, Gottmann utilized a government
survey that categorized different economic regions of the U.S.
The survey classified key metropolitan state economic areas
in which the nonagricultural economy of such areas is a closely
integrated unit and is distinctly different from the economy of
the areas which lie outside the orbit or close contact with the
metropolis (Bogue, 1951, p. 2).
Moreover, Gottmann (1957) indicated that based on Bogues 1951
report, the Megalopolis showed clearly the continuity of an area
of metropolitan economy from a little north of a Boston to a little
south of Washington (p. 1890). Vance (1963) further described
the Megalopolis as an accepted truth in academia (p. 1984).
Additionally, Nelson (1962) indicated that the term broke new
ground by closely examining a major region whose distinguishing and delimiting feature is urbanization (p. 307). According
to Pawson (2008), the Megalopolis region comprised one-tenth
of the global manufacturing and commercial activity (p. 441). It
should be noted that theorists argued that Gottmanns work was
highly important, and the term Megalopolis was thus introduced
into the urban studies glossary (Vicino, Hanlon, & Short, 2007).
One Great System
In the regional area from Greater Boston to Greater Washington D.C., Gottmann envisioned one great system in which
the old distinctions between rural and urban do not apply
anymore (1961, p. 5; 1987, 1). The father of the Metropolas
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The Megalopolis
Keywords
Conurbation
Megalopolis
Megalopolitan
Postindustrialism
Postmodernity
Urbanization
term, Gottmann also indicated that this region may be considered the cradle of a new order in the organization of inhabited
space (1961, p. 9) and an incubator of important socio-economic trends (1987, p. 2). In Gottmanns seminal works, he
described the Eastern Seaboard cities as the continents economic hinge and the main gate, Main Street, crossroads,
and as the main debarkation wharf of crowds of immigrants
(1961, p. 695). Moreover, Gottmann stated: Despite the relative
lack of local natural riches, the seaboard has achieved a most
remarkable concentration of labor force and of wealth (p. 46).
He attributed this phenomenon to the regions network of overseas relationships, and from maintaining the reins of direction
of the national economy (p. 161).
Years after his book appeared, Gottmann indicated that the pinnacle of his book was written in Chapter Eleven, which was
entitled, The White-Collar Revolution. This chapter provided
an emphasis on the office industry whose essential raw material is information (1961, p. 597). Drawing attention to the 1960
Census, Gottmann indicated that the Eighteenth Census of the
United States will rank as a great landmark in history (1961,
p. 567). Morrill (2006) pointed out that Gottmanns chapter
on the white-collar revolution is probably the most important
and prophetic analysis in the book, already predicting the basic
remaking of American society, with the Boston to Washington,
D. C. Megalopolis leading the way (p. 156). He also indicated
that Gottmann seemed to acknowledge the diversity and segregation of the population along ethnic, racial, religious, and class
lines; the high level of inequality that characterizes creative
cities; and, finally, the difficulty of coordinating planning across
utter jurisdictional complexity (p. 156).
It can also be evidenced that the Megalopolitan map has changed
since its inception. For example, in 1970 Wilmington, Philadelphia and Trenton merged, as well as Boston, Lowell, and
Lawrence. However, at this time, no other urban areas seemed to
merge, but suburbanization seemed to be occurring, especially
around New York and Washington, D. C. with new urbanized
areas. By the year 2000, an urban settlement structure for the
Megalopolitan areas, which included a smaller Washington,
Baltimore, Aberdeen areas, as well as a larger Wilmington area
encompassing Springfield and Norwich with additional links to
areas such as Atlantic City, Allentown, Lancaster, York, Harris-
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The Megalopolis
Further Insights
The Megalopolis was an idea that originated by Gottmann (1961)
and was described by his seminal work of the same name, Megalopolis: The Urbanized Northeastern Seaboard of the United
States. Megalopolis was a physical city in ancient Greece,
which was founded in 371 to 368 B.C. by Epaminondas of Thebes
and was the seat of the Arcadian league. Originally planned on a
grandiose scale, its design included walls that were 9 km in circumference designed to be populated by the wholesale transfer of
humans from over 40 local villages (Baigent, 2004, p. 688). The
term megalopolitan has been used to describe inhabitants of the
city. The application of megalopolitan theory rests in an overview
of the theories of Geddes (1915) and Mumford (1946; 1961).
Patrick Geddes was a Scottish social scientist who also used the
term megalopolis in an application to biology and specifically,
evolution. Moreover, Geddes was a student of Thomas Huxley
(1825 1895), who was a famed proponent and writer of evolutionary theory. Geddes used the term megalopolis to describe
a human phenomenon governing the social development of
humankind (Baigent, 2004, p. 688).
Comparatively, this sociological framework might be applied to
G.H. Meads Symbolic Interactionist theory of I and Me,
as G. H. Mead made the most ambitious and comprehensive
attempt of the pragmatists to set forth a [Darwinian] theory of
mind and behavior. Mead held the view that the social construct
of human beings paralleled Darwins view of human origins;
however, Meads social psychological story of human origins
was aimed specifically at accounting for the emergence of selfconsciousness as a product of social and physical evolution,
with particular emphasis on social factors (Burke, 2005). Mead
(1934) also recognized that institutions are the building blocks
upon which society is constructed and understood that dominations impacts the polity (Athens, 2007, p. 138).
According to Athens (2007), the six basic institutions that
Mead identified as comprising society are:
Language;
The family;
The economy;
Religion;
The polity; and
Science (p. 142).
Mead indicated that all institutions are grounded in social action,
defining a social act as any act requires the work of more than
one person to be carried out (Mead, 1932). While not identical
to Geddes view of evolution, this theory is mentioned because
a common theme seemed to be woven through the tapestry of
thought both theorists held.
However, while Gottmann held a positive view of the geographical megalopolis as progressive development, and Mead held a
similarly positive view of human, social development, Geddes
envisioned a negative view of human social development in
terms of evolutionary digression through the lens of geographic
growth. In 1915, Geddes wrote Cities in Evolution. In this
work, he anticipated and further stated:
The expectation is not absurd that the not very distant
future will see practically one vast city-line along the
Atlantic Coast for five hundred miles, and stretching back
at many points; with a total of . . . many millions of population: but, unlike Gottmannn, [Geddes] sees these vast
cities as depressing life . . . [with] disease and folly . . .
vice and apathy . . . indolence and crime . . . . .It is a
relief to turn away [from these cities] in search of some
smaller, simpler, and surely healthier and happier type of
social development (Baigent, 2004, p. 688).
The term megalopolis is also utilized by Lewis Mumford. Lewis
Mumford (1946) described Geddes as his master (p. 475). Over
forthcoming years, Geddes (1938) utilized the term megalopolis
repeatedly over the decades, in which he identified and described
six stages of evolution. These evolutionary ideas included:
eopolis described as village;
polis described as the association of villages;
metropolis described as the capital city emerging;
megalopolis described as the beginning of the
decline;
tyrannopolis described as the overexpansion of the
urban system based on economic exploitation; and,
lastly;
necropolis identified as war and famine, or city
abandoned (Baigent, 2004, p. 689).
Mumford (1961) described an oft-repeated urban cycle of
growth, expansion, and disintegration (p. 599). He philosophized that the phenomenon of the megalopolis characterized the
final states of urban developments whose profoundly disastrous success would eventually carry within itself the seeds
of its own destruction, seeds which would germinate unless
enough enlightened souls answered the call to radical action
(Baigent, 2004, p. 690).
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The Megalopolis
Issues
Varying Definitions
Multiple issues exist in the theoretical overviews related to the
term Megalopolis. One of the main issues is relative to the notion
that the term itself might be dismissed as not important enough
to create a new application of the term (Gottmann, 1961, p. 4).
The term was not included in the Oxford English Dictionary until
1978 in its supplementary addition. In the 2001 edition of Websters American Dictionary, megalopolis was defined as a chief
city; a metropolis (OED Online). Gottmann and Harper (1990)
argued that megalopolis can simply be described as a label used
by several authors as a description of very large regions, a
bequeathal that offered Gottmann great satisfaction (p. 3). However, inconsistency of use and meaning are significant issues
with the term. Based on unclear meaning, inconsistency of use,
and the lack of theoretical underpinnings supporting the term,
additional research should be considered in ways of more effective use and definition.
Another significant issue involving the term megalopolis is that
the term only seems to be limited to one geographical area in the
United States. It can be argued that if the term is going to be used in
the mainstream, then the term should be used to describe additional
areas within the geographical framework. For example, California
might be described as a Pacific Coast Megalopolis. While some
theorists may argue that California can be regarded as a comparative tale of two metropolitan regions, this definition seems to
overlook long-term population trends in other regions and fails to
offer an encompassing view of tendencies toward increased populations and is incomprehensive in terms of transportation and land
development (Sherlock & Bergesen, 2004, p. 7).
The Case of California
Conclusion
Megalopolis is a term that was coined for the urban complex in
the north-eastern U.S., has emerged as one of the leading forms
of urbanization for the 21st century (Kipnis, 1997, p. 489). It is
a also a term that has been used to describe postmodernity, postindustrialization, and urbanization, which is a term that might be
used for growth in urban areas (Hall, 1973, p. 296). One of the
main differences between these three terms is that megalopolis
is connected directly to a geographical underpinning as opposed
to a sociological or economic phenomenon. A significant issue
attributed to the use of the term megalopolis is that it is not used
consistently in framing specific events. For it to be integrated
more successfully in use and functionality, the term megalopolis
must be more widely understood and identified in the mainstream
rather than in theory only.
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The Megalopolis
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