tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874384585810528859.post384765043309592171..comments2023-05-18T13:13:31.246+00:00Comments on Witterings of a Weegiewarbler: England’s green and disenfranchised land. June 7th 2011Weegiewarblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03565353275583070868noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874384585810528859.post-17305999114926431122011-06-10T00:24:02.578+00:002011-06-10T00:24:02.578+00:00Metropolis/hinterland theory posits that in highly...Metropolis/hinterland theory posits that in highly centralized states (like the UK) power, wealth, and prestige are concentrated in a large Metropolis. Other cities act as satellites to the Metropolis with towns and villages filling a similar role for these smaller cities. The further away one gets from the Metropolis the less attention is given to the needs, priorities, and aspirations of the people. These villages, towns, and cities are merely conveyor-belts bringing the resources and material required by the Metropolis to feed its insatiable appetite. <br /><br />In this model the UK is London - the rest is just hinterland . Scotland, being the most removed from the nexus of power, was ignored for generations - centuries even. This is also true for the North of England. And when economies shrink the periphery is the first to contract as wealth and resources are withdrawn towards the centre - the Metropolis. So when London catches a cold Scotland, and the North of England get pneumonia. <br /><br />Scotland now has its own (limited) nexus of power- its own Metropolis - to act as a counter balance to the city of London. As London sucks ever more wealth and resources from the hinterland Scotland at least can suck some of it back home.McGonagallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14887321534801112949noreply@blogger.com