Transnational regional development in the Netherlands and Northwest Germany, 1500-2000

This article discusses the relationship between global development and local changes and also analyzes long-term regional development in the Netherlands and Northwest Germany. Spatial patterns of population growth over the period of 1500-2000 are interpreted from a world-systems perspective. Initially, the coastal regions profited from the emerging trade-based agricultural world-system. Later, state formation enabled some of the previously developed regions to regain positions that were formerly lost. A seesaw of development between land and sea-based regions characterized the first two periods of the world-system. An additional seesaw between concentration in national cores and expansion toward the periphery characterizes the last two periods.