The Core-Periphery Model by John Friedmann

The Core-Periphery Model, introduced by John Friedmann in 1963, provides a framework for understanding the spatial distribution of economic activities and development within and across regions. This model identifies economic and social disparities that emerge between a dominant "core" region and its surrounding "periphery."

 KEY COMPONENTS:

 

1. CORE REGIONS

 

µ     Definition: These are highly developed, metropolitan areas that serve as the epicenter of economic activity, innovation, and growth.

µ     Characteristics:

o       High population density.

o       Advanced infrastructure and communication systems.

o       Diverse economic base with a focus on industries such as finance, technology, and manufacturing.

o       Attract significant domestic and foreign investment.

µ     Example: São Paulo in Brazil serves as a core region due to its robust economy, industrial development, and position as a financial hub.

2. UPWARD TRANSITION REGIONS

 

µ     Definition: Regions experiencing economic growth and development, but not yet at the level of core regions.

µ     Characteristics:

o       Growth is often decentralized, emerging from smaller urban centers or specialized industries.

o       Improved infrastructure links them to the core, facilitating development.

o       Serve as future growth poles.

µ      Example: Many secondary cities in India, such as Pune or Ahmedabad, show upward transition characteristics.

3. RESOURCE FRONTIER REGIONS

 

µ     Definition: Newly explored or developed regions on the periphery that are brought into economic activity for the first time.

µ     Characteristics:

o    Often driven by resource extraction (e.g., mining, agriculture).

o    Typically lack well-developed infrastructure or services.

o    Growth is highly dependent on external demand and investments.

µ     Example: Resource-rich areas in Africa, such as parts of Zambia for copper mining.

4. DOWNWARD TRANSITION REGIONS

 

µ     Definition: Peripheral regions experiencing economic decline due to resource depletion, low agricultural productivity, or obsolete industries.

µ     Characteristics:

o    High unemployment and outward migration.

o    Limited investment opportunities.

o    Infrastructure may deteriorate due to lack of maintenance.

µ     Example: Haiti, where outdated agricultural systems and limited industrial development contribute to persistent poverty.

 

 STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE CORE-PERIPHERY MODEL

 

Friedmann outlined a process of regional development in four stages, each representing a phase in the evolution of spatial and economic dynamics:

FIG: Core-Periphery Stages of Development in an Urban Region

1. PRE-INDUSTRIAL STAGE

µ  Features:

o    Economy based on agriculture and primary industries.

o    Localized, small-scale economic activity.

o    Settlements are scattered and isolated.

µ  Example: Pre-industrial societies in medieval Europe.

2. TRANSITIONAL STAGE

µ  Features:

o    Economic activity begins to concentrate in the core region.

o    Growth is driven by industrialization and capital accumulation.

o    The emergence of dominant centers or "growth poles."

o    Increased trade and connectivity, but the periphery remains relatively underdeveloped.

µ  Example: The Industrial Revolution in Great Britain during the 18th century.

3. INDUSTRIAL STAGE

µ  Features:

o    Growth spreads to other regions, creating secondary centers.

o    High costs in the core (land, labor) push industries to peripheral areas.

o    Infrastructure improvements facilitate interaction and diffusion of growth.

µ  Example: The decentralization of manufacturing from London to northern England.

4. POST-INDUSTRIAL STAGE

• Features:
• A fully integrated urban system emerges with reduced disparities.
• Economic specialization develops in regions based on comparative advantages.
• High-capacity transport corridors enable rapid exchange of goods and services
• Example: Advanced economies like the United States, where metropolitan regions are connected by efficient transport and digital networks.

 

 MECHANISMS OF THE MODEL:

 

The concepts of Spread Effects and Backwash Effects were introduced by Gunnar Myrdal and further incorporated into development theories like Friedmann's Core-Periphery Model. These effects explain how economic growth and development can either benefit or disadvantage surrounding areas.

 

1. SPREAD EFFECTS

 

Definition: Spread effects (also known as "trickle-down effects") occur when economic growth in the core positively influences surrounding regions by stimulating investment, development, and wealth redistribution.

Mechanisms of Spread Effects

 

m     Investment and Trade: Businesses and industries in the core may expand operations to peripheral regions due to rising costs or market saturation.

m     Infrastructure Development: Improved transportation, communication, and utilities in the core often extend into nearby areas.

m     Employment Opportunities: People in peripheral areas may find jobs in industries and services linked to the core.

m     Knowledge and Innovation Diffusion: Peripheral areas benefit from technology, skills, and expertise originating in the core.

 

Examples of Spread Effects

 

m     Urban Sprawl: Suburban areas around metropolitan regions grow as businesses and residents move out of the densely populated core.

m     Economic Zones: Industrial parks or export-processing zones set up near urban centers can provide jobs and infrastructure improvements to neighboring regions.

m     Tourism: Development in tourist hubs like Bali, Indonesia, spreads to nearby villages as visitors explore areas outside the main attractions.

 

Limitations of Spread Effects: Spread effects may not always reach the most remote or deprived areas. The rate of benefit diffusion depends on factors like distance, infrastructure, and policy.

 

2. BACKWASH EFFECTS

 

Definition: Backwash effects occur when economic growth in the core draws resources, labor, and investment away from the periphery, exacerbating regional disparities and causing economic stagnation or decline in peripheral areas.

Mechanisms of Backwash Effects

 

m     Migration: Skilled workers often leave peripheral regions in search of better opportunities in the core, leading to a "brain drain."

m     Resource Drain: Peripheral areas may lose natural resources, which are extracted and processed in the core, leaving little local benefit.

m     Capital Flight: Investment concentrates in the core, leaving peripheral regions with limited funding for development.

m     Market Dominance: Core regions dominate trade and markets, making it difficult for peripheral regions to compete.

 

Examples of Backwash Effects

 

m     Brain Drain: Rural areas in India lose young, skilled workers to urban centers like Bangalore or Mumbai.

m     Resource Extraction: Mining regions in Africa may supply raw materials to global markets without significant reinvestment in local economies.

m     Economic Decline: Former industrial towns in the United States, like Detroit, experienced economic stagnation as investment shifted elsewhere.

 

Consequences of Backwash Effects

• Perpetuation of inequality between core and peripheral regions.
• Decline in public services and infrastructure in peripheral areas.
• Social challenges such as poverty, unemployment, and depopulation.

 

Reversal of the Core-Periphery Model

 

In some cases, investment may concentrate so heavily in the core that disparities widen rather than diminish.

• Inner-city areas close to the Central Business District (CBD) might benefit, while outlying neighborhoods fall into decline.
• Example: Areas in megacities like Mumbai show wealth in central districts while slums proliferate in peripheral zones.

 

Significance of the Model

 

1. Explains Regional Disparities: Helps to understand why some regions thrive while others struggle.
2. Guides Urban Planning: Encourages policymakers to address inequalities through transport, education, and infrastructure investment in peripheral areas.
3. Works across Scales: Applicable to local (city), national, and global contexts.

 

The Core-Periphery Model offers a dynamic perspective on economic geography, highlighting the importance of infrastructure, policy, and historical processes in shaping spatial inequalities.