Ságvári Ágnes (szerk.): Budapest. The History of a Capital (Budapest, 1975)
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in the development of the city. With this increase the population of Budapest reached the pre-war level, and from 1952 on steadily increased. As a result of the loss due to emigration, the number of inhabitants had more or less decreased in the first months of 1957 to the 1954-55 level. The rate of increase has changed since that time, but it has become steadier. The natural increase of the population gradually lessened between 1960 and 1964; after this period, the increase in the population settled at a level of about 16-17,000 a year. Seeing that the population of Budapest at present is only 20,000 below the 2 million mark, it is likely to reach the 2-million level this year. Our capital will consequently be the eighth biggest city of Europe, and the biggest in the central Danubian basin. Since 1960 the population has increased more rapidly on the outskirts of Budapest than in the previous 11 years. The number of inhabitants in the 64 villages and small towns—defined by Government Resolution No. 1027/1960 as the environs of Budapest—is now over 400,000. It is interesting that this increase in the population, amounting to about 10,000 a year accounts for 99 per cent of the increase in Pest County. The rate of increase in the ring of villages and towns surrounding the capital is clearly illustrated by the fact that between 1960 and 1965 the increase in Budapest was 78 per thousand inhabitants and 187 in the environs. ... Considering the forecast for the population increase, the conclusion has been reached that this concentration will continue to grow during the next planning periods. The accelerating growth of the whole conurbation process is a world-wide phenomenon: but that the population of Budapest and the environs is likely to increase by 25,4 per cent by 1981 is by no means an agreeable prospect. It follows that during the next planning periods the municipality of Budapest, in cooperation with Pest County Council, will have to take steps for the development of both Budapest and its immediate neighbourhood, for improvements in the living standards of the people, and for the gradual elimination of differences in the standards of supplies and services that still exist between the various districts. ... In view of the probable changes in the composition of the population by age-groups, the trend of employment levels, the solution of problems peculiar to the older and younger age groups must be given systematic attention. The long-term labour requirements of the capital cannot be met from the resident population, so immigration will also be necessary in the future, and the volume of commuters must be kept at the present level. The labour situation in the capital requires a more rational utilization of the labour force available and an improvement in productivity. Efficient co-operation between the employment, education and planning departments of the Executive Committee of the Budapest Council is needed to deal with the labour shortage and to co-ordinate the technical programmes of schools and of specialized secondary schools for the training of skilled workers. A Fővárosi Tanács VB 1968. április 10-i ülésének jegyzőkönyve [Minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Budapest Council], on April 10th, 1968, pp. 4-36. 131
