REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE

Abstract

The objective of this article is to analyze regional development and the reconcentration of industrial activity in medium-sized Brazilian cities, focusing on Minas Gerais. Initially, it traces a historical reconstruction of these cities and presents the main theories on the subject, including those of Myrdal, Perroux and Hirschman. These approaches highlight that economic growth does not occur homogeneously, but is concentrated in dynamic hubs, generating regional inequalities. In this sense, the text emphasizes the need for public policies that promote a balance between regions, combating the excessive concentration of investments in already developed areas. The analysis highlights the role of medium-sized cities as regional hubs of growth, especially in the Brazilian context of the 1970s and 1990s. State programs such as the II National Development Plan sought to decentralize economic activity, but ended up reinforcing regional asymmetries. The migration of population and investments to medium-sized cities, to the detriment of smaller cities, is also addressed, demonstrating how this dynamic impacts regional development. To this end, documentary and secondary data analysis is carried out to achieve the proposed objectives. The study concludes that policies to encourage regional development must consider the specificities of each area, promoting more balanced growth and reducing socioeconomic inequalities.