On the regional economy development as an independent scientific discipline periodization issue

The article presents an overview of theoretical approaches to the issue of regional economy or spatial economy. The process of evolution of scientists' views on the basic concepts of spatial economics from the stage of its origin to modern research in this field is considered. For this task, the authors have chosen a chronological approach. The paper demonstrates how regional studies developed to the modern spatial economy studies, when the synergetic effect of interdisciplinary research between regional economics and geography appeared. The authors have identified four periods of development of the regional economy.