Abstract/Details

REGIONAL DIFFERENCES IN THE ECONOMIC GROWTH, URBANIZATION AND LABOR FORCE TRENDS: THE CASE OF PUERTO RICO

MORALES, ZORAIDA.   University of Pennsylvania ProQuest Dissertations Publishing,  1982. 8217155.

Abstract (summary)

The validity of the hypothesis that geographic, economic, social and cultural heterogeneity within countries is the factor responsible for differential responses of regional labor force patterns in the course of economic growth, is examined using as unit of study the Metropolitan Areas of Puerto Rico.

By 1970, thirty-two percent of the population were internal migrants, and two out of five workers in Puerto Rico were located in the Metropolitan Area of San Juan. The most important activities in San Juan up to the end of the nineteenth century were services and commerce, in Ponce and Mayaguez were agriculture and commerce, while in the Caguas and in the Non-Metropolitan area was agriculture. By 1972 San Juan was mainly a service center, Caguas was the major industrial center and the other three regions were centers of mixed activity.

These regional differences have been historically determined by the relation of dependence which has characterized the country. This relation has brought about differential regional industrial growth and has induced a migratory movement to some areas. The urbanization process has been characterized by an enormous concentration of population and labor force in the Metropolitan Area of San Juan.

The first forty years of the United States domination were characterized by land concentration, the expansion of external commerce, the growth of wage labor and the cultivation mainly of sugar cane. These processes generated a population movement toward the coast, especially to San Juan.

The Industrialization Program started in the 1940's initially contributed to increase the labor force population located in San Juan. During the 1960 decade male employment expansion in San Juan slowed down and accelerated in the other regions, while female employment expansion slowed down in all the regions. This reflects the effect of the decentralization policy and of the reorientation toward the establishment of capital-intensive industries, which were oriented toward male employment.

The importance of San Juan as the main center of all economic activities and of migration as a component of labor force growth has decreased. This probably will reduce the rate of population and of labor force growth of the area.

Indexing (details)


Subject
Demographics;
Demography
Classification
0938: Demography
Identifier / keyword
Social sciences
Title
REGIONAL DIFFERENCES IN THE ECONOMIC GROWTH, URBANIZATION AND LABOR FORCE TRENDS: THE CASE OF PUERTO RICO
Author
MORALES, ZORAIDA
Number of pages
585
Degree date
1982
School code
0175
Source
DAI-A 43/03, Dissertation Abstracts International
Place of publication
Ann Arbor
Country of publication
United States
ISBN
979-8-204-75282-5
University/institution
University of Pennsylvania
University location
United States -- Pennsylvania
Degree
Ph.D.
Source type
Dissertation or Thesis
Language
English
Document type
Dissertation/Thesis
Dissertation/thesis number
8217155
ProQuest document ID
303245527
Copyright
Database copyright ProQuest LLC; ProQuest does not claim copyright in the individual underlying works.
Document URL
https://www.proquest.com/docview/303245527