MUNICIPALSAMHÄLLETS FRAMGÅNG OCH BAKVATTEN Två fallstudier om förändringsprocessen och förskjutningen som sker i landsbygdens tätorter

Abstract

The 1862 municipal laws and the charters of 1874 - Byggnads - och Brandstadga för rikets städer, change the basis for what constitutes a city. A process and an important factor to the disintegration of the traditional city is the emergence of a large urban settlements outside of the cities, such as administrative hybrids, ”köpingar” and ”municipalsamhällen”. Until local government reform in 1971, there was an ambition to preserve the status for cities, ”köpingar” and ”municipalsamhällen”. But the older idea in which city and countryside are different, changed after the reform in 1971. Somewhere in the process, these rural urban areas, including ”municipalsamhällen”, change importance. Rural urban areas, is often characterized by a static picture, but can accommodate diversity and variation. The main focus of the paper is ”municipalsamhällen”, which we know little about, and in a historic context, it has relevance to what and how we value these locations. Today there is an urban prevail. Therefore, the local context is important for regional and national planning. If the towns are becoming depopulated and laid down, what connects the country then? The paper aims to identify, describe and explain the process of change that occurred in the localities with the basis of two case studies and discourse analysis. By highlighting the locations illustrated, something that has not always been represented in the historiography is shown. The case studies consist of two original stationssamhällen. The sites are Älmhult in Småland and Glimåkra in Skåne. The study will seek additional support for results in a number of selected locations that will stand as places of example. By broadening the scope of the investigation and with the knowledge that places of example contribute to the creation of a better foundation and a greater knowledge base for the survey. In this study, the theoretical basis is the urban norm, the knowledge and its organizing and collective memory. The survey shows that there are prominent similarities between the two case studies development. The infrastructural investment that took place, with the railway construction, has a significance for the expansion in the society, which also is a general pattern in the country. These locations are to some extent unique in their stages of development, but is in large a part of the larger attempt, which takes place in Sweden. ”Municipalsamhällen” loses its importance with time. What the survey shows is that the big society conversion has affected the built environment in both case studies, but both places are characterised by the ideals at the ”municipalsamhällets” formation. For a sustainable development, various opportunities must be discussed. More and more issues are discussed on national and regional levels which make those who have not been seen or heard - lost in the crowd. Those who finally suffer are the smaller municipalities in the periphery.