La urbanización turística como "solución espacial". Agentes, planeamiento y propiedad en la Playa de Palma y Magaluf (Mallorca)

Resumo

This thesis attempts to apply the theoretical concept of spatial fix to the case studies of Playa de Palma and Magaluf. Hence, the analysis of the spatial fix concept is centered on the production of tourism urbanization in these spots. Epistemologically, the thesis is based on critical urban theory, the theory of value, crisis theory and methodology of dialectics. Playa de Palma and Magaluf are two of the most significant sea and sun tourism places at the European scale. In the last century, the geographical configuration of these spots has been substantially altered: from being minor agricultural areas at the early XXth century, they became a fast-growing tourism urbanization spaces in the latest Fordism period, facing later on a decline that has lasted until nowadays. Within this spatial and temporal framework, the thesis examines the dialectics between the different dynamics of accumulation (economic developments on the global, European, national and regional scales), strategies of surplus grabbing of the main capitalist agents (via an analysis of the different types of agents and the structure of private property), its geographical expression (urban expansion) and the role of the state in the spatialization of this process (mainly through planning). Therefore, the questions that this thesis aims to answer are the following. First, how the capitalist agents, that have operated in Playa de Palma and Magaluf, have adjusted their spatial strategies to the variegated dynamics of economic expansion and contraction?; related to that, what are the spatial logics of the diverse dynamics of accumulation? Second, what role has played the state in the spatialization of capital? and third, to what extent have the agents operating in successive historical periods changed?; and how is this related with transformations in the global logics of accumulation? The thesis argues that there has been a steady transformation of land ownership and strategies of surplus grabbing in different economic periods. Thus, each circuit of production of value has had different types of agents, and changes in the dynamics of accumulation have boosted changes in the composition of the different capitalist agents. The major breakpoint occurred in the period 1956-1973 when there was a large territorial metamorphosis (massive urbanization) and a radical change in the land-based capitalist agents (the aristocracy and industrial bourgeoisie was dissolved in the hoteliers class). Moreover, it is argued that the transition from Fordism to post-Fordism has not brought substantial changes in either the urbanization process, or the type of agents that extract profits in these spots. Nevertheless, there has been in the post-fordist period a shift in the role of the state, which now plays an active role in channeling investments towards the spot. Finally, it is argued that within the current crisis Playa de Palma and Magaluf are being placed again as privileged places where financialized capitals are spatially fixed. The different parts of the work are organized chronologically, each chapter discussing some of the following issues: (I) Physical evolution of urbanization; (II) Development of private property; (III) Changes in the type of capitalist agents; (IV) Evolution of planning; and (V) Analysis of the role of the state in the production of these spaces.