scholarly journals Discussion: Economic Sustainability of Rural Areas

2011 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 453-455
Author(s):  
Douglas H. Constance

The three articles in this invited paper session examine value-added strategies related to agriculture and food at the state and federal level designed to enhance rural development. Two of the papers dealt with the GO TEXAN program and the other with organic agriculture. All three papers were well written and interesting, but all three also shed light on the problem of using classical economic theory to interpret differentiated agriculture and food products as opposed to undifferentiated commodities.

2007 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Norbert Berthold ◽  
Holger Fricke ◽  
Andreas Müller

AbstractIn this article we examine whether or not the small size (in terms of population) of some German Laender (states) is harmful. The economic theory of federalism forms the ground on which we present empirical evidence, focusing on our own results for the German Laender. We find evidence that political decisions on federal level instead of Laender level cause preference costs, and so do decisions in big or merged Laender. On the other hand, economies of scale as an assumed advantage of big jurisdictions obviously do not influence the economic outcome very much. We do not find indications for strategic behaviour due to external effects either. Nonetheless, if external effects are regarded as a problem concerning “Stadtstaaten”, they should rather be internalised by horizontal negotiations than by other instruments such as vertical payments or mergers between Laender. Hence, mergers of Laender do not seem to be a necessary precondition for decentralisation, which in turn is advisable as our results show.


2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 23-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Jezierska-Thöle ◽  
Marta Gwiaździńska-Goraj ◽  
Łukasz Wiśniewski

Abstract Organic farming is part of a sustainable development model; at the same time it is becoming a prerequisite for the multifunctional development of rural areas. The main aim of this study is to identify the state and analyse changes in the development of organic agriculture in Poland as well as to present the possibilities for its development. The time horizon of the study covers the years 2003 to 2015. The basis of the research was an analysis of the literature, the Report of the Chief Inspectorate of Trade Quality of Agriculture and Food (IJHARS), and national empirical research; it also includes an analysis of the results of surveys carried out on organic farms in the summer of 2016, as well as our own observations. The study showed that in the years 2003-2015 Poland saw a rapid increase in the number and area of organic farms due in part to the introduction of EU subsidies. Spatial analysis of the proportions of farms by voivodeship shows that in 2015 most were recorded in Warmia-Mazuria, Podlasie and West Pomerania. Similar to the increase in the number of organic farms, the years 2003-2015 saw an increased area of organic farmland. Poland is second in the world in terms of growth in the area of organic farms. In the years 2003-2014 the average size of an organic farm remained at about 25 ha and was higher than the average size of conventional farms (10 ha). In 2014 the crop structure was dominated by fodder plants (35.8%), and meadows and pastures (31.5%). In terms of livestock production, cattle and horses had the biggest share.


2009 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 565-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Arena

ABSTRACT The topic of the paper is to estimate the importance of the contribution of Sismondi's economic analysis to the classical economic theory. To do this, the theoretical framework and the main concepts of the latter approach are first described. Three main themes allow us to distinguish the classical theory between the other ones: its conception of time and economic evolution, its apprehension of the different categories of economic agents and its analysis of wealth and prices. The paper deals with each theme and analyses its contents and place in Sismondi's work. The study of the relation between time and economie evolution allows the introduction of uncertainty in the perfect foresight classical scheme. As far as the notion of economic agent is concerned, Sismondi specified the classical conception of social classes in capitalism. Finally, in his treatment of wealth and prices, Sismondi emphasizes the importance of market forces and gluts. The conclusions of the paper are the following: Sismondi's approach and classical analysis cannot be interpreted as inconsistent; moreover, Sismondi can be considered both as Ricardo's successor and as Keynes' predecessor.


2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-74
Author(s):  
Greta Krešić ◽  
Marko Sučić

The term “organic food” denotes products that have been produced in accordance with the principles and practices of organic agriculture. Organic agriculture and food processing practices are wide ranging and overall seek to foster the development of a food production system that is socially, ecologically and economically sustainable. Organic food is increasingly attracting consumers who are confident that this food has higher nutritional quality, and is safer and more wholesome than conventional products. Scientific evidence of the nutritional superiority of organic food compared to food from conventional methods is limited. However, organic food has an important position within the concept of sustainable development. Since one of Croatia’s goals should be to become a destination for environmentally and socially responsible travellers who in general tend to consume organic food, organic food should find its place within ecotourism and rural tourism. Due to its agro-ecological diversity and natural resources, Croatia possesses great potential for organic food production. Designing a tourism offering which includes organic food would not only contribute to the development of rural areas but would also help to raise the environmental awareness of tourists, thus fostering environmental sustainable development.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1713 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristian Paun ◽  
Radu Musetescu ◽  
Vladimir Topan ◽  
Dan Danuletiu

The drivers of economic growth and development are among the most important issues explored by economic theory. Sustainability of economic development was previously linked by various economic schools of thought to natural resources (agriculture, land, minerals, metals etc.), labor force (including skills, productivity, and education), entrepreneurship or technology and innovation. Capital was later introduced by classical economic theory as the key element. Without significant capital accumulation, all other production factors remain idle. The value added of the production process is a result of the existence, the accessibility and the cost of capital. Therefore, the development and the sophistication of the financial sector has gradually become very important for any nation interested in sustainable growth. This paper investigates the impact of financial sector development, sophistication and performance on economic growth based on a panel regression methodology. We found statistically significant results that confirm the importance of this connection and that are very consistent with economic theory and previous relevant articles and studies.


1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
William A. Jackson

ABSTRACTPopulation ageing is often thought to have adverse economic consequences, and economics therefore has a responsibility for contributing to an understanding of ageing. This paper discusses the treatment of population ageing in economic theory and argues that mainstream economics is too narrow and restrictive to provide an adequate representation of ageing. An alternative to mainstream economic theory is a more pluralistic view of ageing, drawing from non-neo-classical economic theory and from the theorising of the other social sciences.


2018 ◽  
Vol 18(33) (4) ◽  
pp. 270-283
Author(s):  
Włodzimierz Kołodziejczak

The aim of the paper is to recognize the level of employment and gross value added in the agriculture against the other sectors of the economy in the European Union. Comparative analysis and method of deduction were used in the study. The research was based on the EUROSTAT data from the years of both 2002 and 2016. The “surplus” of employment in the agriculture in the post-socialist countries in relation to the EU average approximately corresponds to the “shortage” of employment in services. The process of changes in the sectoral structure of employment will probably be determined by the growth rate of demand for services, structural adjustment referring to matching the characteristics of the agricultural population to the demand for labour force in the services sector and the pace of structural transformations in rural areas.


2014 ◽  
pp. 147-153
Author(s):  
P. Orekhovsky

The review outlines the connection between E. Reinert’s book and the tradition of structural analysis. The latter allows for the heterogeneity of industries and sectors of the economy, as well as for the effects of increasing and decreasing returns. Unlike the static theory of international trade inherited from the Ricardian analysis of comparative advantage, this approach helps identify the relationship between trade, production, income and population growth. Reinert rehabilitates the “other canon” of economic theory associated with the mercantilist tradition, F. Liszt and the German historical school, as well as a reconside ration of A. Marshall’s analysis of increasing returns. Empirical illustrations given in the book reveal clear parallels with the path of Russian socio-economic development in the last twenty years.


2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 498-517
Author(s):  
Yuk Hui ◽  
Louis Morelle

This article aims to clarify the question of speed and intensity in the thoughts of Simondon and Deleuze, in order to shed light on the recent debates regarding accelerationism and its politics. Instead of starting with speed, we propose to look into the notion of intensity and how it serves as a new ontological ground in Simondon's and Deleuze's philosophy and politics. Simondon mobilises the concept of intensity to criticise hylomorphism and substantialism; Deleuze, taking up Simondon's conceptual framework, repurposes it for his ontology of difference, elevating intensity to the rank of generic concept of being, thus bypassing notions of negativity and individuals as base, in favour of the productive and universal character of difference. In Deleuze, the correlation between intensity and speed is fraught with ambiguities, with each term threatening to subsume the other; this rampant tension becomes explicitly antagonistic when taken up by the diverse strands of contemporary accelerationism, resulting in two extreme cases in the posthuman discourse: either a pure becoming, achieved through destruction, or through abstraction that does away with intensity altogether; or an intensity without movement or speed, that remains a pure jouissance. Both cases appear to stumble over the problem of individuation, if not disindividuation. Hence, we wish to raise the following question: in what way can one think of an accelerationist politics with intensity, or an intensive politics without the fetishisation of speed? We consider this question central to the interrogation of the limits of acceleration and posthuman discourse, thus requiring a new philosophical thought on intensity and speed.


JMS SKIMS ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 90-95
Author(s):  
Noorul Amin

Background: The present age is the age of stress. Everybody is disturbed due to one or the other reason irrespective of their age. However, adolescents are more prone to psychological and sociological disturbances.Objectives:To assess the psychosocial problems in adolescents.Methods: The study was conducted in selected schools of urban and rural areas taking 100 participants each for boys and girls using convenient sampling method. The tool used was youth self report. The data collected was analyzed using appropriate statistical methods.Results: The study revealed that 48.5% adolescents were well adjusted; 47% were having mild psychosocial problems; 4% had moderate psychosocial problems and 0.5% had severe psychosocial problems.Conclusion: Adolescents irrespective of their living places had varying degrees of psychosocial problems. JMS 2017; 20 (2):90-95


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document