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When civilization went beyond the stage of Neolithic villages, when cities and cultural activities developed, external trade played an important role. It was not possible for a city to develop without a network of long distance exchanges. They made non‐domestic activities possible and so favored the development of institutional and political structures. The same is true of the cities of the Ancient world, of the medieval cities (French Historians contended whether trade or urbanization was first; but could they develop without each other?). It is true that the result was not an homogeneous society, but centers with a high level of culture and organization in the midst of a traditional peasantry world.

In fall 1994 a group of social scientists from different parts in the world met in Switzerland. The Swiss Academy for Development (SAD) organized a symposium to discuss problems of contemporary developmental policy and research. The meeting focussed on the upcoming World Summit of Social Development in Copenhagen in 1995 and so the participants intended to present themes of international interest that would be introduced to a greater audience. The important contributions and propositions of this symposium are found in this publication.