Changes in Rural Life: the Need for an Effective Rural Development Strategy

The collectivization and the long period of socialism in Russia completely transformed rural life and rural livelihoods. In this period large-scale farms came to incorporate all aspects of rural life, and became the dominant economic and social structures in rural areas. In the past decade, the on-going transition, combined with the economic deterioration of the large-scale farming system, has had a significant impact on rural settlements and the quality of life for rural inhabitants. The increased social problems of rural Russia have become important components of the on-going debate over the future of agricultural reform. It is becoming clear that the remaining elements of the former Kolkhoz/Sovkhoz structures are unable to properly address the needs of the rural population, and the need for a new approach toward rural social problems is growing more and more evident.