That is a tiny fraction of public spending. Small towns also suffer from population imbalances. The grievances that express themselves in national politics are generated by corrosion of regional and municipal self-confidence. National political units are held together by shared identity, which in practice requires consensual transfer of wealth and resources from rich to poor. That means investing in small things that make a big difference to small places – starting with the library.

Source: The Guardian December 28, 2018 16:29 UTC