Rola samorządów lokalnych w rozwoju obszarów wiejskich

This article highlights the positive impact that local governments have exerted on the rural development in Poland. At first, the author presents the basic features of Polish rural areas and examines what rural development means to Polish policy makers. Furthermore, the author concludes that the main ideas which lie at the core of rural development are sustainability, multi functionality and competitiveness. One of the main foundations is also the grassroots approach which involves local community in the development process – the method that is used by many nonprofit or nongovernmental organizations to energize rural areas. Thanks to this strategy their role is still increasing. However, the author gives strong arguments to support the idea that the role of local governments is also crucial in stimulating development, and that this role should be referred to more often. In Poland after ’89, thanks to the changes in the law, local governments have the real possibility to run, support or effectively engage in rural development. Moreover, their workings, as often as not, are the major impulse for positive action taken in rural areas. The author examines this on the basis of the LEADER Programme and Polish Solectwo (the basic level of the Polish local government system). This article also provides examples of the best practices (from 4 municipalities: Limanowa, Baltowa, Bodzechowa, Maslowa) focusing on the successful initiatives implemented by the local governments. The examples show that, in spite of their weakness, local governments could play an important part in rural development. They make the inhabitants aware of the fact that they are indispensable for everyday life and economic growth to the same extent as NGO’s and private enterprises