Explaining the Government Functional Role in Spatial Planning and Management within the Framework of Neoliberalism

Introduction and Background: With the ever-increasing superiority of neoliberalism views and decreasing government investments in public affairs since the 1980s, the functional and ownership roles of the government have been reduced. These functions replaced by the actively growing roles of corporations and nongovernmental institutions in space development and management. For instance, the independent effectiveness of government-run institutions has been overshadowed in spatial planning and management. In other words, the Keynesianism-neoliberalism transition has introduced a novel typology into the government performance in spatial planning. Aims: This study aimed to propose a new classification of government functions and a method of analyzing those functions in spatial planning and management within the framework of neoliberalism through a review of validated theoretical literature. Methodology: In this fundamental research, the desk method was employed to collect data which was analyzed using an inferential technique. This study aimed to explain the government’s role in formulating spatial planning policies and the relevant research methodology within the framework of neoliberalism. For this purpose, the position of spatial planning was first defined in relation to political ideologies and neoliberalism to achieve a scientific and universal theory. Then a novel viewpoint was developed in relation to the government’s position in codifying spatial planning policies within this framework by drawing out the relationship between spatial planning and neoliberalism. Conclusion: According to the research findings, since spatial planning is affected by the profit-oriented economic motive based on global free trade, the government acts as a structural factor lacking an independent position and function in spatial planning and management.