Constraints on Rural Governance in the European Union: A Role for Co-operative Associations?

Abstract

In this contribution I argue that the concept of polycentricity that has evolved from the body of literature on governance problems in metropolitan areas (Tiebout, 1956, Ostrom, Tiebout, & Warren, 1961, Marks & Hooghe, 2003, Frey & Eichenberger, 1999) may not be easily adapted to address current governance problems in the rural areas of the EU-27. The chapter explores some of the likely limits of the concept in the context of rural development in the European Union. I first explore the foundations of the concept of polycentricity, along with its assumptions and theoretical conclusions. I then characterize typical contemporary problems in the rural areas of the EU after the enlargement from EU-15 to EU-27. I then show that phenomena like rural poverty, local budget crises, and scale economies in service provision in areas like health-care, infrastructure and education lead to situations where the assumptions of multi-level governance are not met. Finally, I draw a few theoretical and practical conclusions, which are in line with the basic tenets of the concept of polycentricity, about the potential of cooperatives for solving governance problems in the rural areas of the European Union.