CHANCES FOR THE DEMARGINALISATION OF POLISH RURAL AREAS THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF 'RURAL REVIVAL' PROGRAMMES

A village constitutes a multifarious social and spatial structure which fulfils various functions. Thus, in order to solve its problems a complex, territorial approach is needed and not only a sector approach dictated by the requirements of agriculture. A multifunctional development of rural areas, based on the principle of balancing the development's three key factors (social, economic and ecological) constitutes the foundation of programmes envisaging actions designed to make the chances of rural communities equal to those enjoyed by the 'rest' of the society. The chances for and successes in the demarginalisation of the Polish rural community can all be linked to any actions stimulating the activity of the rural community and many-sided development of rural areas. Such actions can be launched not only owing to the use of the endogenous factors of the local communities but also owing to the use of means available from the EU as well as suggestions and experience stemming from the implementation of various European programmes, including the 'rural revival' programme implemented in many European countries as one of the ways leading to the multifunctional development of rural areas.