Social Development of Rural Areas: Sociological Analysis

The paper presents the author's view on the social development of rural areas. The author examines dif­
ferent points of view, according to which rural development is identical w i t h economic development;
the one that relates it to human capital; the one that treats it in terms of "growth"; and the viewpoint one that explains it by changes of mentality and the one that makes it dependent on institutional changes.
The author concludes that the development of rural areas should be based on the principles of safe so­
cial and natural development; preservation of human resources; increase of social activity of the rural
Keywords: social development, economic development, human capital, mentality, institutional changes.