The Making of the Modern Metropolis: Evidence from London

Stephan Heblich, Stephen Redding and Daniel Sturm

No 25047, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: Using newly-constructed spatially-disaggregated data for London from 1801-1921, we show that the invention of the steam railway led to the first large-scale separation of workplace and residence. We show that a class of quantitative urban models is remarkably successful in explaining this reorganization of economic activity. We structurally estimate one of the models within this class and find substantial agglomeration forces in both production and residence. In counterfactuals, we find that removing the entire railway network reduces the population and the value of land and buildings in London by up to 51.5 and 53.3 percent respectively, and decreases net commuting into the historical center of London by more than 300,000 workers.

JEL-codes: O18 R12 R40 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-his, nep-tre and nep-ure
Note: ITI
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (31)

Published as Stephan Heblich & Stephen J Redding & Daniel M Sturm, 2020. "The Making of the Modern Metropolis: Evidence from London*," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, vol 135(4), pages 2059-2133.

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Related works:
Journal Article: The Making of the Modern Metropolis: Evidence from London* (2020)
Working Paper: The making of the modern metropolis: evidence from London (2020)
Working Paper: The making of the modern metropolis: evidence from London (2019)
Working Paper: The making of the modern metropolis: evidence from London (2018)
Working Paper: The Making of the Modern Metropolis: Evidence from London (2018)
Working Paper: The making of the modern metropolis: evidence from London (2018)
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