The Disintegration of Urban Policy: Glasgow and the New Britain

In the past, the conflict between the growth and distributional aspects of urban policy has not been a major issue in Britain. In Glasgow, the institutional reforms of the 1970s heralded a comprehensive, public-sector-directed program for urban regeneration. In the 1980s, policy has disintegrated under the impact of recession, local fiscal cutback, and central government and agency intervention. A conflict between growth and distribution is posed. Glasgow emerges as a dual city, with subsidization of downtown business and amenities but widespread deprivation, especially on the periphery—reflecting conditions more widely seen in the "new Britain."