The community: Perspectives for its sustainability

Abstract

The community has been the core social planning unit throughout history. It was through a process of dialogue and consensus building within the community that problems were perceived and defined, and plans for solutions agreed upon and implemented. The rural communities of the Maya zone of Mexico and Central America are undergoing an accelerated transformation of their economic and political context and physical environment. However, after decades of neglect or domination by the centralized bureaucracies, existing communities and new social groups often lack the experience necessary to address the new opportunities for participation, planning, and management to achieve the goals and objectives of the people. This article reports on the problems and results of a program of community participation and sustainable development. In the participatory planning process the social group can create its own shared unity of purpose and sense of achievement. Thus, the participatory planning process is not only a tool for the identification and resolution of problems at the local level but is also means for creating a sense of social well being, and recreating the community.