Towards a "new" concept of rurality

The article treats preconditions for an ecologically oriented rural development, i. e. one in which human activities will not disrupt but respect the laws that govern selfrcnewing natural processes. The basic components of the new rurality are the rural environment, the village community (the community of village inhabitants) and the peasant family. In its centre stands the peasant as an ecological factor who is both the user and the guardian of nature. Local self—rule—an organization of life in which peasants share in decision—making about development programmes in areas they live in — is not only the optimum form of organization, but also the best psycholbgical (motivating) factor of an ecologically oriented rural development. Two contrasting examples are given that show how development plans for rural Slovenia are being realized