What is gentrification?
British sociologist Ruth Glass coined gentrification in 1964 to describe middle-class households (the "gentry") moving into working-class districts of London, renovating homes and displacing the original residents. Today the term also covers commercial gentrification, where a neighbourhood becomes fashionable, rents surge and the small shops and artists who made it attractive are pushed out.
📌 At a glance
- Coined by
- Ruth Glass (1964, London)
- Core change
- Inflow of capital and middle-class residents
- Main concern
- Involuntary displacement
- Related policy
- Tenant and small-business protections
Two explanations
| Perspective | Main argument | Associated scholar |
|---|---|---|
| Production side | Capital flows in when the rent gap between current and potential land value is large | Neil Smith (1979) |
| Consumption side | Preferences of a new middle class for urban living and distinctive culture drive the change | David Ley and others |
Typical stages
- Artists and independent shops move into a low-rent area.
- Visitors and investment rise; buildings are sold and remodelled.
- Rents climb, early tenants leave and chain stores move in.
Responses in Korea
In Korea, a 2018 amendment to the Commercial Building Lease Protection Act extended a tenant’s right to request lease renewal from 5 to 10 years, and some local governments promoted voluntary agreements between landlords, tenants and the city. See also Chicago school urban ecology.
Frequently asked questions
- What does gentrification mean?
- The transformation of a lower-income area by incoming capital and wealthier residents, often raising rents and displacing existing communities.
- Is gentrification always negative?
- It can bring investment and improvements, but involuntary displacement and loss of community are its central criticisms.
References
- Glass, R. (1964). Introduction: Aspects of change. In Centre for Urban Studies (Ed.), London: Aspects of change (pp. xiii–xlii). MacGibbon & Kee.
- Smith, N. (1979). Toward a theory of gentrification: A back to the city movement by capital, not people. Journal of the American Planning Association, 45(4), 538–548.