The Diversity Of Socioeconomic Development Of Rural AreasIn The Western Borderland And The Problem Of Post-State Farm Localities

One of the major dilemmas of regional policy is the answer to the question whether the growth should be concentrated at the core or if there is growth and development potential in each territory (Barca, McCann, Rodriguez-Pose 2012, p. 149). The arguments which refer to the place-based policy stress the fact that making use of the unused potential of intermediate and poorly developed territories may actually influence the local and national level of development (Farole et al., 2011). Rural areas, especially peripheral areas, are undoubtedly the territories of unused potential. The aim of the research is to measure the socioeconomic development, including the spatial diversification leading to the development of rural peripheral areas. Development is a multidimensional phenomenon. Therefore, its level will be determined by means of the synthetic feature. The synthetic feature will be used as the starting point for identification of peripheral areas and their delimitation. The results of the analysis showed significant differences level of socioeconomic development of rural areas in the western borderland. The research findings did not show a simple dependence between rural development and the share of former state-owned farms in the communes. Areas with a high share of former state-owned farms could be found both in the group of best and least-developed communes. Due to the range of research it is illegitimate to make other than intuitive inferences. Thus, we can intuitively indicate that the following group of factors triggered the process of development and helped to break the barriers resulting from the liquidation of state-owned farms: location in an urban agglomeration, natural and tourist values as well as the activity of local authorities. The research should be continued in order to identify the factors and pathways of development in individual areas under analysis.