Development models of rural areas: Theoretical approaches and formation specificity

Abstract

The paper gives a scientific idea of rural areas' development models. The critical analysis of both theoretical approaches towards the perspective models of rural areas' development and their various scenarios is given. The territorial disproportions of rural areas' development conditioned by the long-term dominance of the national rural areas' development model are identified. Based on the outcome of both domestic and foreign practice, the article gives a survey that shows certain ways of how to modernize and correct the rural areas' development model. Analyzing the theoretical aspect of rural areas' steady development, the correlation between a variety of rural economy structure and multifunctional character of rural areas is found out which necessitates the diversification of rural economy by means of different businesses stimulation. It's proved that rural economy is a complex socioeconomic system and its diversification is conditioned by object-subject interconnection. The authors define the structure of diversified rural economy capable of mobilizing the areas' available resources and accumulating their major spheres and businesses: agricultural (traditional and lost); non-agricultural (industry and construction, forestry, folk craft and handicrafts; service industry (education, health care system, recreation, service occupation). On the basis of the three-pronged approach - "function-structure-target"-the model of rural areas' diversified economy which has either some predominant industry or combination of different industries is worked out. The perspective directions of restructuring rural areas' economy based on expert assessment are also defined in the article.