A CAPITALIST REFLECTION OF URBAN TRANSFORMATION: THE ECONOMY-POLITICAL DIMENSION

Abstract

Cities can be expressed as areas established by people and where people gather to meet various human needs, although the time of their first establishment is not known. With the increase in opportunities in daily life, urban spaces have gained a transforming/transformed structure in order to meet various economic and social needs. Especially after the Industrial Revolution, the status of cities has undergone a great metamorphosis, and city functions have begun to increase and diversify. The population capacity of the cities increased with the great social events and subsequent great migrations. At this point, urban problems have emerged and situations that damage the social structure such as infrastructure problems, lack of housing, unplanned urbanization and slum problems have emerged. It has been tried to find solutions to these problems with urban planning and especially in the process after the Second World War, major urban transformation practices have emerged with the renewal / renewal and restoration works. The transformation of the depressed areas, especially the slums and illegal construction, which is thought to disrupt the nature of the city and harm the security of the city, has begun. At this point, economic objectives have an accelerating effect on urban renewal/transformation. In particular, the effect of neoliberal policies in the real estate field has become visible. The process of transforming urban spaces varies from country to country. Major projects on a local and national scale have emerged as a result of urban transformations. It can be argued that the emergence of urban rents and the implementation of transformation/renewal practices for the benefit of certain segments not only harm the disadvantaged segments in a way contrary to the spirit of urban transformation but also lays the groundwork for their displacement policies.