Sociedad y desarrollo en Castilla y Leónun estudio de opinión pública

Resumen

Rural areas have been affected by important economic, demographic and social transformations, mainly caused by the crisis of the agricultural economies. These changes are especially relevant in regions where the primary sector has a large importance, as it is the case of Castilla y León (Spain). In order to face these situations that jeopardize future viability of rural communities, governments have been compelled to implement different economic and social policies focused in the rural development. The objective of this paper is to analyze public opinion in Castilla y León regarding rural development policies. This information can be very useful in order to detect which is the societal perception about rural problems, the objectives that the rural development policies should pursue for the improvement of these areas and the measures and instruments that are considered more appropriate. This information could allow improving rural policies design and implementation according to this public opinion. Results obtained show the social concern about the problems of rural communities, and the perceived necessity of public intervention through specific measures focused in the economic and social reactivation of these territories. In this sense, individuals believe that the policies promoting rural development have had a weak effectiveness in reaching the public objectives related with the assurance of the future viability of rural areas. Furthermore, a majority of citizens thinks that it is convenient to continue implementing strategies and actions designed in order to avoid the continuous economic decline of rural communities, promoting the employment generation and fixing population in the territory.