Regimes of accumulation and transformation of the general conditions of production and infrastructures : spatial implications

Abstract

The paper discusses the main characteristics of the General Conditions of Production and of the «old infrastructures», according to the marxian political economy approach. After a brief reference to the issue of the post-fordist transformation, the paper discusses the main points of the «new infrastructures» approach which is illustrated by the example of the sector of telecommunications. Being the core of the «new infrastructures», the telecoms sector helps in the understanding of the problems and contradictions involved in the process of development of the «new infrastructures». The paper further discusses some fundamental issues in the programming and planning of infrastructures, which stem from the relevant theory, and tries to relate the transformation of the General Conditions of Production and infrastructure with that of the development model. It is finally argued that the General Conditions of Production and infrastructure should be considered as a constituing part of any development model.