The Rural State?

This book investigates planning and policy-making for rural areas from a political economy perspective. It explores existing theories of the state within a specifically rural context. It interprets planning as a political activity of the state and illustrates the constraints imposed by the state on what is practical at the local level. The authors seek to alter our view of the rural planning process by taking account of recent developments in social science theory. They do this in a logical way by mixing theory with an empirical case study of Gloucestershire. The case study is supplemented by international perspectives on the role of the state and the operation of the policy process in rural areas. This broadens the scope of the debate and illustrates cross-national differences and similarities in planning the allocation of resources. Illustrative examples are taken from Great Britain, Europe, North America and New Zealand.