Theatres of Accumulation

6 __­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_Ecuador: accumulation andthe producers __­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_­_

Introduction

The purpose of the following four chapters is to take up and illustrate some of the themes outlined in the theoretical chapters by reference to case studies in Ecuador, Hong Kong and Malaysia. The area chosen for the first study lies in the south of Ecuador and comprises three provinces: Azuay, Cañar and Morona Santiago (see Figure 6.1). We will not be dealing directly with a major metropolitan area, or even a well-known city. Nevertheless, the processes of capital accumulation and the principal actors involved are well illustrated in Cuenca, the main city of ...