Public Policy and Regionalism: I. Tennessee Valley Authority

Abstract

The discussion of regionalism so far in this book has referred to informal processes — the generation of regional feelings leading to their expression in the pressures impinging on the political arena. There is also a more formal aspect to the development of regionalism in the United States through the medium of public policy. This has taken its cue from the expression of feelings engendered by regional inequalities of well-being, and has resulted in a number of attempts to legislate for regional improvements. While Federal legislation has had regional impacts on water resources, land use and energy production, and has also indirectly affected regional economic development through such measures as the Inter-state Highway programme, it has become involved in a smaller way with specific regional development programmes.