Role Of The State And Of The Real Estate Companies

International development studies tries to explain the dynamics between countries in terms of the population’s well-being by comparing economic, political, social, historical, and cultural factors (Haslam, Schafer and Beaudet 2012, 5). Indeed, even UNESCO world heritage sites can be examined under the international development scope. Chile is a country containing five world heritage sites including the city of ValparaiÃŒ so. It was declared as an UNESCO heritage site1 in 2003. A particular case study was analyzed on the impacts that this declaration has on the local population. This case study is an important topic to international development since it focuses on poverty, culture, neoliberalism, and urban development which are issues†¦show more content†¦The weak presence of the state makes it more difficult for states to implement policies and adequate urban planning that take into account local realities (Hidalgo, Borsdorf and San MartiÃŒ n 2014, 237). The cityâ⠂¬â„¢s municipal government is in charge of managing the site. However, since it is economically dependent on the federal government, no specific funds are allocated to the management of ValparaiÃŒ so (Hidalgo, Borsdorf and San MartiÃŒ n 2014, 229). 1 The classification of the town as a world heritage site has important implications detrimental to the socially and economically disadvantaged inhabitants of ValparaiÃŒ so on a microeconomic level. Firstly, natural and human-induced hazards have important repercussions on the local destitute population4. Gentrification acts in a way that increases their vulnerability to hazards5. Often, buildings and artefacts are more vulnerable to hazards in heritage sites. Thus, when a natural or human-made disaster occurs, the urban poor are more prone to lose their home due to the unsafe and unstable structure of the buildings. In addition, with the advent of early phases of gentrification, it is very difficult for the affected population to find new living space in the city centre because of a â€Å"chronic shortage [or even absence] of low-cost housing† (Takamura 2015). As a result, this can lead to another issue: out-migration patterns of the lower class to adjacent cities. This not on ly causes immaterial cultural