Toward a Policy Planner's View of the Urban Settlement System.

Peter A. Morrison

Expert InsightsPublished 1975

Considers U.S. population's settlement as related to the interplay of (1) American cultural predispositions--individualism, privatism, and mobility, (2) migratory predispositions, and (3) the unintended and usually unforeseen secondary effects of government activities and programs. Migration may sort people out spatially as individuals seek to elevate their status. The often overlooked potential for return migration is considered at some length. Policy planners need to recognize that the migratory dynamics of the U.S. settlement system are largely attuned to facets of the national character. By recognizing impending tendencies for people to sort themselves out among places, it may be feasible to strengthen or redirect these tendencies to serve broad national purposes. Finally, policy planners must recognize "hidden policies" that inadvertently result from government action taken for other reasons. 19 pp. (Presented at Conference on National Settlement Systems and Policies, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Austria, December 1974.)

Document Details

  • Copyright: RAND Corporation
  • Availability: Web Only
  • Year: 1975
  • Pages: 19
  • Document Number: P-5357

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Morrison, Peter A., Toward a Policy Planner's View of the Urban Settlement System. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1975. https://www.rand.org/pubs/papers/P5357.html.
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