Dynamic Sustainability: Back to History to Advocate for Small- and Medium-Sized Towns

de Noronha, Teresa; Vaz, Eric; Ratajczak, Waldemar

A debate related to the “net” value of agglomeration economies created in the long run is proposed. Some volatile assets such as strategic planning, knowledge creation, shared innovation, and advanced skills are identified. The perspective of urban dynamics adds a glimpse over the potential capacity of medium- and small-sized towns (SMTs) to be capable participants in the development process throughout extensive periods. The concept of agglomeration economies, pointing out to efficiency gains due to the proximity among agents, is an “unrefuted truth” to be revisited: Immediate efficiency gains are frequently suggested by policymakers whose good intentions for regional development have aggravated discrepancies with shrinking effects for SMTs. Costly consequences must be mentioned: pollution, loss of biodiversity, climate change, pockets of social stress, and extreme poverty are long-term impacts. Not often are impacts directly measurable, for example: The recent pandemic of COVID-19 has shown the fragility of large urban cores to immediately address complexity. This chapter is composed of (1) introduction, an insightful approach, (2) case studies, illustrating the empirical capacity of SMTs to survive long-term challenges, (3) discussion, highlighting some theoretical insights from the case studies analyses, and, finally, (4) conclusion.