Urbanization means the growth of the number and size of the towns and the spreading of quality of life in towns (Enyedi, 1996). Naturally the growth and development is different in several parts of the world. On the other hand the urbanization is not only effect to towns. It has also an effect on rural region. Several attendant phenomenons belong to the urbanization (economic development, rural development, infrastructural development etc.). Primary target is to demonstrate the connection between urbanization and rural development.urbanization, regional development, rural development, urban-explosion, relative deconcentration, dezurbanization, urbanization of informatics, sustainable development, Community/Rural/Urban Development,

Molnar, Melinda

English

Research Papers in Economics

Urbanization and rUral development
Molnar, M. 
Institute of Regional Economics and Rural Development, Szent István University, 
H-2103 Gödöllő, Hungary
KEYWorDS: urbanization, regional development, rural development, urban-explosion, relative decon-
centration, dezurbanization, urbanization of informatics, sustainable development
abStract
Urbanization means the growth of the number and size of the towns and the spreading of quality of 
life in towns (Enyedi, 1996). naturally the growth and development is different in several parts of the 
world. on the other hand the urbanization is not only effect to towns. It has also an effect on rural region. 
Several attendant phenomenons belong to the urbanization (economic development, rural development, 
infrastructural development etc.). Primary target is to demonstrate the connection between urbanization 
and rural development.
IntroDuctIon 
urbanization is close connection with regional development. regional development in-
cludes connection and development of the whole country, different regions of the country 
and each settlement from the natural resources, population, production, and infrastruc-
tural condition points of view. In this concept regional partnership is also crucial (lackó, 
1988). according to other authors the regional development shows other important crite-
ria. according to Faragó (1992) every region is special; therefore regional development 
has no global interpretation and there is no down-to-earth universal regional development 
direction. consequently we can only speak about alternative trends. 
Development and growth are not the same. Development means changing with val-
ues while growth shows changing of the rates (nemes nagy, 1988). Important fact, that 
growth is not necessary accompanied with development. additionally there are a lot of 
values in development, which are influenced by recent economical, political, ideologi-251 urbanization and rural development
cal relations. For example in case of developing countries we can often experience fast 
economical growth (new airport-building project, shopping centre investment etc.) while 
the important part of the society is out of these development. this is the growth without 
development. 
Sustainable development is one type of the development. as a general rule the basis 
of the sustainable development, that the satisfaction of the recent economical and social 
needs do not restrict satisfaction of future needs. this is a fundamental principle. It is 
known that growth-orientated economical and social processes restrict the emergence of 
this principle. on several points it is incompatible with sustainable development. urbani-
zation is one part of this problem. nowadays most of the population (6.2 million people) 
lives in towns (3.2 million people) (Enyedi, 2006). Proportion of the population of rural-
urban areas is changed. consequently, this situation created several social, environmental 
and economical conflicts. Urbanization direction will not be maintained neither in devel-
oped nor in developing countries.
urbanization is a special periodical development. Periods are not divided from each 
other distinctly. transitions and overlaps are also natural during this process. Enyedi 
(1988) divided this process into the following periods:
• Urban-explosion
• Relative deconcentration 
• Dezurbanization
• Urbanization of informatics
MatErIal anD MEtHoD
Many studies in connection with regional development, rural areas and urbanization have 
been surveyed. Systemization of this knowledge have been crucial. Phrasing of the rural 
regional position in urbanization was the purpose. on the base of this I conceptualize the 
situation of the rural region in connection with urbanization. 
rESult
Urbanization and regional development  
Labor force is significantly concentrated with spatial expansion of industrial production 
and the development of industry. this is the specialty of urban-explosion. Population 
of towns and non-civic settlements are increasing. this urbanization period lasted for a 
long time in the most developed industrial countries. the phenomenon began in the 17th 
century and lasted for centuries. this situation was accompanied with technical improve-
ment. the outcome of this development was that lots of agricultural laborer became hard 
workers. Some people removed from rural region to towns, or to its suburb. therefore the 
demographical situation of the rural areas was changed (Figure 1.).Bull. of the Szent István Univ., Gödöllő, 2008. 252
Figure 1.: urban-explosion
Edited by Molnár, M.
In the urban-explosion period in chicago between the years 1875-1900 demonstrate 
the explosion situation. chicago was the quickest-growing town at that time. (Growing 
rate was 6% per year). During that time the population was increased by 1.3 million peo-
ple there. the population of lagos increased with some 10 million people between the 
years 1975-2000 one hundred years after the population. In this case the growing rate was 
5,8% per year (Enyedi, 2006).
there is not the same urban-explosion situation can be experienced in developed 
and developing countries. the funds of the urban-explosion are close connection with 
industrial development in developed countries. In this countries people who removed 
from rural areas to towns has been changed theirs livelihood and theirs demographical, 
behavioral habitude.  on the contrary this situation the urban-explosion has been started 
later in the developing countries than in the developed ones. urban-explosion is close 
connection with over-population of rural areas in developing countries. Industrial devel-
opment here is very slow: the towns cannot support people who removed from rural areas 
to towns. It result from this the unemployment rate increase, and the bigger part of the 
urban society has no chance to disentangle from poverty. In these countries people who 
removed from rural areas to towns do not change theirs demographical and behavioral 
habitude (Enyedi, 2006).
Chart 1.: Urban-explosion situation in developed and developing countries 
Urban-explosion developed countries developing countries
beginning early-capitalism (18th – 19th century) mainly 20th century
population increasing Slow Quick
base of the process Industrial development of towns over-population of rural areas
advantage from the 
urban life-style
considerable:  
livelihood, all kind of service 
inconsiderable:  
unemployment, poverty
Edited by Molnár, M.253 urbanization and rural development
considering either in the developed or in the developing countries the urban-explo-
sion made the migration of rural people. as a result of industrial development of towns 
and over-population of rural areas, rural people change their residence (chart 1.). the 
young and ambitious part of the rural society moved to towns. the consequence is loss 
of value of rural society. 
During the period of relative deconcentration the increasing of the urban popula-
tion slow down. one hand deconcentration means that rural population move not only 
to the towns, but urban settlements. on the other hand deconcentration means that one 
part of the urban population moves out from towns to suburb or to urban settlements. the 
deconcentration is a relative process because only the populations of the administratively 
circumscribed towns increase, but the suburb and urban settlements, so functional con-
nection of the town is clearly gains.  In this period the economical and social function of 
villages have been changing. there is lots of livelihood alternatives can be found in rural 
areas: livelihood in industry, livelihood in tourism etc. (Figure 2.) 
originally the settlements are special units of workplace and inhabitance. In the 
relative deconcentration period the function of workplace and dwelling has changed in 
case of several settlements. In case of those villages that lie nearby the towns more im-
portant dwelling-function and workplace-function can be experienced. Workplace can be 
found mostly in towns. Workplace and home divides.
Figure 2.: relative deconcentration 
Edited by Molnár, M.
Dezurbanization means that rural areas become centre of regional development. 
close and extended relationship came off between town and its countryside. In the rural 
areas work and leisure opportunities revaluates. In this period the perspective of rural set-
tlements is essentially determined by geographical and traffic givens (Figure 3.).Bull. of the Szent István Univ., Gödöllő, 2008. 254
Figure 3.: Dezurbanization 
Edited by Molnár, M.
In urbanization of informatics period the high-tech informatics is generally spread-
ing. one of the most important parts of this process is the deconcentration. Several new 
rural centres start developing. Further feature is that in this period the position of each 
settlement or area is not determined absolutely by geographical and vehicular status. the 
basis of this development is the relationship between settlements, areas and informational 
network. as a result of this we can experience a special informational band. Mechanism 
of the informational band depends on the social, economical, political technical develop-
ment of certain area. the informational band means not only using new informational 
channels but it means active participation in the creation of the informational network 
(Figure 4.).
Figure 4.: urbanization of informatics
Edited by Molnár, M.255 urbanization and rural development
Urbanization and Sustainable Development 
Several sign shows that some periods of urbanization process could not be part of sustain-
able development. as a result of urban-explosion in big cities some social, economical, 
environmental problems (slums, noise, overcrowding) can be experienced. this is not 
only the problem of developed countries but of developing countries, too. the managing 
of this problem is one of the most important challenges of mankind. 
Not only in towns can be find unsustainable phenomena. During the process of the 
urbanization the rural areas lose their population. actually the migration is selective: 
mainly the ambitious, young population leaves their home. result of this process is a 
misshapen rural population and an unviable economy. 
neither big cities nor rural areas will not be capable to solve their urbanizational 
problems alone. In my opinion the success of the sustainable development in urbaniza-
tional process depends on the relationship between towns and their rural territory (within 
villages). the most important connection is communication by several informational 
tools along with direct physical contact. this is an essential condition of the regional 
co-operation. theoretically, the informational network is able to eliminate the geographi-
cal, vehicular disadvantage of rural areas. In this situation the development of towns and 
rural areas could become well balanced: regional development will be sustainable. this 
positive theory works only in local dimension. We cannot experience this situation in 
global dimension. the chance that the urbanization connects to sustainable development 
depends on universal and local factors. It is fact that there are lots of general feature in the 
urbanization which are experienced everywhere; but the reason for this that the urbaniza-
tion has got some area specific markers in a certain region. One of these factors is the 
economical and social structure of Socialism. as a result of this structure, urbanization 
process in the decades of state socialism was a bit different from western trends. 
Generally the parallelism with the western trends industrialized the towns and the 
on the other hand declined the agricultural countryside. the agricultural employment has 
been fallen and the contribution to the gross national product of the agricultural sector has 
been measurably decreased. It was unfavourable for rural areas.  Historical development 
had been disrupted by the centralized organization of the state socialism that originally 
based on town-supported principles. the politics came up with negative discrimination 
of the countryside authorized by heavy industrial structure policy and through the cen-
tralized state organization instead of maintain a healthy town-countryside relationship. In 
these decades migration of inland from the rural areas to towns strengthened.
In the case of post-socialist countries the regime change was given a new situation in 
urbanization processes. Political support from the winner of former industry-friend policy 
has been denied and sources were run out. unfavourable social and economic processes 
began both in the towns and in the rural areas. crisis extended fast and it was really deep. 
Initially, as every regional process, the urbanization processes were also happened pretty 
spontaneously. rural areas were suffered the most serious consequences. the managing 
of this problem is one of the most important challenges of regional development. Bull. of the Szent István Univ., Gödöllő, 2008. 256
concluSIon
urbanization is closely connected to regional development. there is no only one viable 
(universal) regional development trend. Sustainable development is one of the most im-
portant types of them. lots of sign shows that certain parts of urbanization process could 
not be part of sustainable development. Success of sustainable development in urbaniza-
tion process depends on the relationship between towns and their rural territory (within 
villages). rural areas will be revalued.
rEFErEncES
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EnYEDI,  GY.  (2006):  urban-explosion  beside  regression  (In  Hungarian).  Földrajzi  Közlemények 
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EnYEDI,  GY.  (1996.):  regional  development  in  Hungary  (In  Hungarian)  Ember-település-régió 
sorozat, budapest
FaraGó, l. (1992): Where will regional development proceed? (In Hungarian) tér és társadalom   
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Urbanization and Rural development

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