The urban systems of Russia and China from the standpoint of the economic central management functions

• Project/Area Number: 16500645
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Geography
• Research Institution: Aichi University of Education
• Principal Investigator: ABE Kazutoshi Aichi University of Education, Professor, 教育学部, 教授 (00109365)
• Project Period (FY): 2004 – 2006
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2006)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,400,000); Fiscal Year 2006: ¥900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000); Fiscal Year 2005: ¥1,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000); Fiscal Year 2004: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000)
• Keywords: urban system / Russia / China / economic central management function / political system / 連邦制 / 首都

Research Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze the urban systems of Russia and China as an indicator of the economic central management function. The applicant has studied the urban systems of some countries as an indicator of this same function. A major finding obtained from these studies is that it is the political system that determines the kind of urban system an entire country will have. Specifically, urban systems can be divided into two types: one with a flat structure in which there are no cities that form the core of the urban system, and one in which the status of the capital city is overwhelming and forms the core of the urban system for the country.
In looking at Russia and China from this perspective in the present study, it is noted that both countries have experienced or currently have a socialist system. The major point of this study is to clarify the effect that this has had on the urban systems of these countries. It is said that in Russia the ties between cities are weak, and that the status of Moscow is clearly higher than that of other cities. There is said to be similarly weak ties between cities in China, but in China the status of the capital Beijing is not all that high in comparison with other cities. What are the causes of this difference? The former Soviet Union had a federal system, but Russia today does not. China, on the other hand, still advocates socialism today, but has also adopted a market economic system. The government capital is Beijing, but the economic center may be said to be Shanghai. This situation is suggestive of the United States, but the political systems of the two countries are not the same. Clarification of the factors that regulate the urban systems of Russia and China, particularly that of China, is an issue for further study.