Abstract

It is the common principle that the city experiences booming and recession. No matter it is which era，war，diseases and natural disaster has been always threatening the development of the city，which even exists as the objective factor leading to the recession or even death of the city. Until recent 100 years，the forming mechanism of city recession tended to be more complex. Despite the similarity of the attack to shrinking cities，the variety still exists in the reasons causing this problem. Meanwhile，although globalization is also the leading factor，the economic transform does not affect all countries and cities in the same way. In contrast，city recession may show differing features by nations，areas and local environment. Cities have been played a vital role in the social development，and they are the fruit and engine of social and cultural revolution. In today’s world，there has seen obvious opposite trends for city development. One is that the dramatic increase in Asian and South America，while the other is the shrinking cities featuring the decrease in population. Both show the most essential revolution since industrial revolution. It is no doubt that booming and recession is the objective rule of any city historically.

This article bases on the general analysis on the theories and concepts of city shrinking. First，it analyzes the origin of shrinking problems and conceives the key motives of city booming or recession. Then from the perspective of regions，it analyzes the growing and shrinking history of Leipzig and Liverpool，including the reasons，influences and the countermeasures from the government. Further，by comparing the shrinking between Leipzig and Liverpool，the article tests the reality of these motives，and certifies the complexity of city shrinking. Meanwhile，the reasons of both cities’ re-growth and the developing trend are showed. Finally，back to the worldwide，it also studies on the general laws of city shrinking，and gives some hints from the analysis.

After the rapid development of China’s city construction，the study on city shrinking provides the experts and the government planning sectors with totally new perspective. Now，the city development of China builds on the top design under growth mode，which resembles the style of early days in western nations. Basing on the observation and comparison of the case studies and the reasons，impact and policies for city shrinking internationally，this article considers deindustrialization；globalization and suburbanization would finally become the common phenomenon. The government should realize the objective laws of city growth and recession from the advanced perspective，and then further figures out the industrializing path from both sides. Additionally，the economic policies and robust mechanism would strengthen the support to small city’s planning and development. Thus，to reduce the disordered development of urban fringe would be the realistic choice for China’s city construction and scientific development.

Keywords：City Shrinking；Population Turnover；City Planning