The Basics of Urbanization

A good understanding of what urbanization means is the prerequisite for exploring the pattern, process, and mechanism of urbanization. Yet, as urbanization is locally rooted, the meaning of urbanization differs in different context, particularly by considering local history, culture, and institutions. In this first chapter, the aim is to give a brief introduction to the understanding of urbanization in a general sense. Then it turns to the explanation the unique understanding of city, urbanization, and standards for the establishment of city in China. After these accounts, it continues going through the urbanization process related to economic development, demographic change, and social transformation etc. It also talks about the driving forces of urbanization such as industrialization, modernization, globalization and marketization, institutional reform, and innovation. In the last section, the consequential positive and negative effects are discussed. The reasoning of these topics is general and in parallel with it the uniqueness of China’s urbanization is occasionally mentioned.