Resumen de Migrants and market potential in Spain over the twentieth century: a test of the new economic geography

Elisenda Paluzie i Hernández , Jordi Sarda Pons, Javier Silvestre Rodríguez, Daniel A. Tirado Fabregat

• In this paper, we offer a structural contrast of a new economic geography model in Spain over three different periods: the 1920s, the 1960s, and the early years of the 21st century. In line with Crozet (J Econ Geogr 4:439-458, 2004), we analyse the possible existence of a forward effect, i.e. the existence of a relationship between the workers- localisation decisions and the market potential of the regions. Our results show that this model provides a good explanation of migrant behaviour in Spain throughout the 20th century. Moreover, the changes in the parameters estimated are consistent with a change in the migratory model and reflect the tendency towards a spatial redispersion of economic activity in recent decades.